Hunger Games Pairing Oneshots
by EverlarkCatoniss
Summary: Oneshots based off of Catoniss, Everlark, Karvel, and Finniss. Each chapter is a short story for one of these pairings.
1. Catoniss

**For this story, it will really just be a mix of different one-shots. Each being about either Catoniss, Everlark, Karvel, or even Finniss. No Gale x Katniss, sorry... **

**Anyways, each individual story will be based off of a quote. Some containing song lyrics at the end, but not all. ****I'm open to any of y'all's ideas, you can either DM them to me or you can just leave the idea in the reviews! Thanks!**

**Here you go and please enjoy! **

* * *

><p><span><strong>Catoniss<strong>

_"I know I'm not the easiest one to love..."_

* * *

><p>"Damn Cato, that final play Friday night was fucking genius! I don't know how you did it, you had at least five guys on you yet you still made the catch, and you ran for the touchdown! You must have broken six tackles, you're like a tank! I don't know what the team would do without you." I hear the voice of Finnick exclaim.<p>

Then the deep voice of Cato rings out, "Y'all would lose." He sums up. "I mean come on, I got all the points last night. Aside from the field goal we had to kick because Gloss couldn't make a fucking touchdown from the five yard line." He says cockily.

I hear the person next to me huff as they furiously whisper to their friend.

"He's such an arrogant jackass!"

"I know! How the hell does he even have friends? Much less a girlfriend!" The other friend rudely responds.

I sigh, I know they are talking about Cato. Who else would they be talking about? I shut my locker and then I feel strong arms encase me from behind, pulling my back against a solid chest, and I feel warm breath on my ear.

"Guess who, love?" The melodic of my voice of my boyfriend asks.

I can't help the smile that forms on my lips. I turn in his arms to meet the vibrant blue eyes of Cato.

He pouts adorably, "You didn't guess."

I chuckle and press a small kiss to his lips, efficiently removing the pout and replacing it with a smile.

You see, I've been dating Cato for about a year now. The two of us being undeniably in love, we have been since only month three of dating. Cato admitted his love to me first, admitting it after only two months of being together. It took me slightly longer to admit mine. He may be the jerk of the school, but I've fallen in love with him anyways. Because as much as he's a jerk to others... he's never like that to me. He's the sweetest guy I've ever met, towards me at least.

He's the best boyfriend a girl could ask for; being a hopeless romantic. He does everything any girl would love, he buys me flowers, sends me good morning texts, makes me stupid love songs that mean the world to me, calls me beautiful even after I've just woken up and no doubt look like shit, he takes me on the most amazing dates, tells me he loves me at random times everyday; he does everything. Sure he's the most popular jock of our school, and that usually screams player. But everyone knows he only has eyes for me. And I for him.

"Ready to go to class?" I ask.

He nods and presses a kiss to my forehead, keeping one arm around my waist as we walk down the halls. He offers to take my books for me and I oblige, letting him carry them for me. As we pass Peeta Mellark, I look at Cato who smirks and slaps Peeta's books out of his hand. Peeta looks up at him and shock and anger.

"Oh gee, I'm so sorry Peeta! I wasn't looking where I was going." Cato sneers, laughing as Peeta scrambles to pick up the papers that flew out of his binder.

I sigh and hang my head, I may love Cato more than anything but I don't have to like what he does to other people. He's a bully; the bully you always dread when high school crosses your mind.

No, he doesn't hurt anyone physically, thankfully, but he does hurt them verbally. And in my opinion that's even worse. Although he _has _gotten in two fights, they were with two guys from our rival school after two of his football games. He got into the fight because, well, they tried to get with me.

Other than that, he only verbally abuses other students. And I hate it, I hate it more than anything.

He eventually stops laughing and starts to walk again, sighing with a few more chortles of laughter. I still hang my head, and keep my eyes focused on the ground.

"Hey... Are you okay Kitten?" Cato's voice asked, filled with concern. The mockery he previously spoke to Peeta with nowhere to be found.

I nod slightly, lifting my head just barely so that I can give him a small smile that's somewhat forced.

"Oh come on love, I'm not that naive," he says gently. He stops and makes me turn to him, he lifts my chin delicately so that my eyes meet his.

"Are you alright?" He asks again, his eyebrows knitted together in worry and concern.

I smile gently at his worry, and lift my hand to smooth out the wrinkles that appear on his forehead.

"I'm fine Cato," I say gently yet forcefully. Leaving no room for argument.

He nods, not entirely convinced, and we continue to walk to class. People move out of our way as we walk down the hall. Cato's arm is back around my waist, holding me close to him. We walk past Gloss, one of Cato's enemies here at this school.

He winks at me and I hear Cato growl, he pulls me even closer to him.

"Back off fucker, she's mine," he snarls to Gloss.

Gloss simply chuckles and walks in the other direction.

Cato's tense for the rest of the walk to class, so when we sit down in our seats I place my hand on his back and start rubbing it soothingly. His muscles slowly relax and he gives me a grateful smile, leaning down to press a chase kiss to my lips.

I move my hand back to my lap and he takes it, interlacing our fingers under the table. The bell rings and our teacher begins role call, just then Beetee runs in late.

"Ah Beetee, late again. That's your... fourth tardy? One more and you get a weeks worth of detention. Go take a seat." Mr. Snow growls to him.

I hear Cato laughing beside me, making me sigh in shame yet again.

"But if Cato comes in late you simply 'let it slide'! It's not fair!" He complains.

"Well when you become the greatest wide receiver our school has every seen, then you too can arrive late." Cato pipes up arrogantly.

Beetee turns and glares at my boyfriend.

"But since that will never happen, go take your seat Beetee." Cato fake commands, getting half the class to laugh. Including Mr. Snow. Beetee sighs dejectedly and goes to sit down.

"Alright class, settle down." He says, getting ready to write on the board but then the announcements come on.

"_Good morning students of Hunger High, today for lunch the special will be roast beef." _The monotone voice speaks, and I kind of tune out until I hear Cato's name. The previously monotone voice changing to sound giddy and excited. _"Oh! And let's give a a big round of applause to our stay player, Cato Embers! Cato scored 28 points last night, leading us to victory in the final quarter with his 50 yard touchdown. Congratulations on the win Cato! You never seem to let us down." _The principal says, concluding the announcements and resulting in the class clapping for Cato. Other than Beetee and a few others.

I look up at Cato and I see the proud look in his eyes, hidden to others by his cocky smile. I lean up to kiss his cheek because I _am _proud of him for the win, I always am. I'm just not proud of the way he shows it off.

He laughs and nods, reveling in the attention.

"Calm down, calm down!" Snow orders before he begins class.

xxx

Cato drives me to his house for dinner with his family. I eat dinner with him and his family once a week actually. It's something Cato requested because family means so much to him, and since I mean everything to him he wanted me to be included in everything that has to do with family. Or at least that's how he explained it. I love his family so of course I agreed to come over for dinner once a week.

I turn on the radio and lay my head on Cato's shoulder as he drives his old truck, his arm going around me as he kisses the top of my head. His CD turns on, it's a mix of different classics I got him for his birthday. It has all his favorite songs on it.

"I love you," he says quietly.

I smile and snuggle closer to him. "I love you too."

We both start quietly singing along with Rod Stewart singing Maggie May. We soon pull into his driveway, he gets out quickly, running to my side so that he can open the truck door for me.

I'm about to step out, but before I can Cato quickly picks me up bridal style. I begin to laugh as he smiles widely, he swings me around as he laughs with me.

"You know, Kitten, when we get married some day, I'm going to be doing the same thing. Only we will be going to our own house." He whispers, all traces of laughter gone.

I look up at him to see him looking back at me softly, so softly. I raise a hand and gently caress his cheek, he leans into my touch, closing his eyes for a small second and he sighs contently.

"I can't wait." I whisper back.

He opens his eyes, showing me all the love swimming within their dark blue depths, and then his lips meet mine in a slow and passionate kiss. He nibbles on my bottom lip, asking for entrance and I happily allow it to him. We keep the kiss slow, allowing me to savor his taste and him mine. I pull away first, being out of breath. I lay my forehead against his, our slightly heavy breaths mingling.

My stomach growls and a blush forms on my cheeks. Cato chuckles and pulls his head away, but not before he kisses my forehead.

"Let's go get some dinner," he says, walking inside with me still in his arms.

"Cato! Katniss!" A young voice squeals. Then Cato's little sister came running to us, she grabs onto Catos leg and hugs it, grinning up at us.

"Hey my little munchkin!" Cato greets her, setting me down gently so that he can pick up his 3 year old sister. He picks her up with one arm and cradles her on one arm.

"Catoooooo, put me down! I wanna see Katniss!" She whines with a pout.

He sets her down, resulting in her running to me.

"Katniss!" She squeals.

I smile at her and kneel down, opening my arms for her to run in to.

"Hey there sweetie," I greet, giving her a hug.

She pulls back and smiles widely, showing her front tooth missing already. She then runs back into the kitchen informing her mother that we are here.

Cato walks back to me and sighs, "How is it that my own sister likes you more than she likes me?"

I shrug, "It's hard not to like me Cato."

He grins and kisses my cheek, "True, very true." He looks towards the kitchen and then at the clock on the wall. "I don't think dinners quite ready, so let's go upstairs. I have something I wanna show you."

I nod and he takes my hand and leads my up to his room. When we get into his room, I run and jump onto his bed, getting consumed in all the pillows placed on it. I snuggle into all of them and grin at Cato who is softly chuckling at me. I find it funny that he has so many pillows actually, because when we first started dating he only had the standard two. I remember commenting one time that I love it when beds are filled with pillows because it makes me feel safe and secure. Then the next time I came to his house, he had at least five more pillows on his bed. He never admitted he got them for me, but it wasn't too hard to guess.

He sits down on the recliner in his room, picks up his guitar that is next to it. Yes, not only is he a hot and muscular football player, but he is also a guitar player. Though he is amazing at the guitar, he can't sing for his life. Which is why I find all his love songs so sweet, because he knows he can't sing either yet he still tries for me.

"So I made another song for you. Well, I didn't really _make _it, rather I learned how to play it." He tells me as he gets his guitar situated on his lap. He starts to sing the love song, it being 'Fall For You' by Secondhand Serenade. He misses every note while singing it all off key, a big goofy grin plastered to his face. When he finishes, he sets his guitar down and meets my eyes.

"What did you think? Should I stare my own album?" He asks, wiggling his eyebrows.

I laugh and give him a sympathetic smile. "Oh honey, no one would buy it. Except maybe deaf people."

A giant, charming, pout forms on his face as he begins to fake cry. His ridiculously pretend wails make me have to conceal the laughter that wants to escape me.

"You crushed my dreams Kitten!" He sobs.

I get off the bed and walk to him, I kneel down beside his recliner and pull his head out of his hands. He looks at me and I see the amusement glimmering in his eyes as he tries to keep up this facade.

"I'm so sorry, how ever will I make it up to you?" I ask desperately, giving him the most apologetic look I can muster in my state of laughter.

He grins and puckers his lips, making smooching noises that cause my laughter to bubble to the surface.

This is something else I love about him, even though he comes off as a jerk at school, he is really just a big goofball.

I peck his lips like he wants. "Do you forgive me now?"

He shakes his head and I roll my eyes. I lean in to give him another kiss, being slightly longer.

"Now?"

He shakes his head again, a shit eating grin on his face.

I give him another kiss, only this time, when I'm about to pull away, his arms go around my waist and he heaves me onto his lap. Still keeping our lips attached as he does so. He deepens the kiss as out lips battle for dominance. I thread my fingers through his short hair as we kiss, making him moan.

"God Kitten, you don't even realize how much you mean to me." He whispers against my lips.

I smile through the kiss and respond, "I don't think you realize how much _you _mean to _me_."

He trails his kisses down my neck, kissing and tasting all my sweet spots that he has memorized over the past year, causing me to moan. He smirks against my skin as he continues to kiss my neck.

"There is no me if there is no you. You are literally my everything." He mumbles as he trails his kisses back to my lips.

I pull back so that I can look in his eyes, "You know... A million words couldn't describe what I feel for you."

His eyes shine with adoration and love, I know mine mirror his.

"How did I get so lucky as to win your love?" He asks quietly, pushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

By answering I simply kiss him again. The kiss gets to the point where he picks me up and walks to the bed, laying me down as he crawls on top of me; never breaking the kiss.

"Cato! Katniss! Dinner!" His mother shouts from downstairs, making Cato growl in frustration.

"Every damn time," he mutters. Getting off of me and pulling me up with him.

We walk downstairs and are greeted with the aroma of steak and garlic. I take a big whiff and I hear Cato chuckle beside me.

"Smell good?" He jokes.

I playfully glare at him, just causing him to chuckle again. We enter the kitchen and I greet his mom and dad with hugs like I always do. We all sit down to eat and make small talk over dinner as if we are one big happy family. Which, in a way, I guess we sort of are. Because I see Cato as family, and I see his parents as second parents to me, as well as his little sister a sister to me.

Throughout dinner, Cato held my hand under the table and slowly rubbed it with his thumb. Occasionally winking at me and sneaking kisses here and there. His father talked about all the good plays Cato made Friday night, though he mentioned some things Cato could have done differently. Cato's hand always tenses when his father says those things, but he nods and listens to the advice.

After dinner, Cato takes me home since it's already 7:30. I have to cook dinner for Prim and my mother anyways... We pull into my driveway after 20 minutes, my house being all the way across town. Cato lives where all the Merchants live, and I love what we like to call 'The Seam'.

"Thanks again for dinner," I say as I get out of the truck.

I feel his hand lightly grab my arm and he pulls me back to him so that he can place a soft kiss on my lips.

"Of course," he whispers. "Goodbye beautiful, love you." He says a bit louder when I exit the truck.

I turn and blow him a kiss, he cheekily pretends to catch it and puts it in the breast pocket in his shirt. I laugh and wave as he drives off.

xxx

The next day goes basically the same, someone congratulates him on the win and he does something cocky. I hear the people around me whispering about him, and then he hugs me from behind.

"Hey beautiful." He whispers into my ear.

We then walk to class, his arm situated around my waist as always. As we walk past Peeta and his girlfriend, Clove, Cato starts to laugh humorlessly.

"Oh look, it's the mamas boy and his psycho girlfriend. Tell me Clove, hows the nut house treating you?" He asks sarcastically.

Clove stayed at the mental hospital all last year because she went somewhat crazy after her parents were murdered one night, right in front of her. And Peeta's mother got arrested two years ago for abusing him...

I see them both cringe at Cato's words, and I do too. Clove hangs her head and her face pales, Peeta growls at Cato and comforts Clove.

"Oh yeah, and Peeta! Make sure you tell your mom I say hi next time you see her. And be sure to thank her for me." At this Peeta gives Cato a confused look. "Because if she hadn't done what she did, someone else sure would have. And Clove, be sure to tell your parents hi for me. Oh... wait... That's right, you can't!" Cato sneers, bringing Clove to tears in a matter of seconds.

Peeta's mouth drops, as does Cloves and mine. That was just too far.

Peeta shakes his head, his eyes tearing up as well. Clove and him walk away, towards doors. Cato laughs as they exit the building.

"Fucking queers," he mutters as we walk to class.

I... I can't take this anymore! He's being such a jerk and I can't handle it. I've put up with it for so long, but he just crossed the line. I'm over it, I may love him with all I have, but I can't take this anymore. I know what it's like to be bullied and I know what it's like to have a parent gone.

I pull from Cato's grasp and turn to stand in front of him with a scowl on my face.

"Kitten...? What's the matter?" He asks confusedly.

I just shake my head at him, "That wasn't cool Cato."

He cocks his head to the side, "What wasn't cool?"

"What you just said to them! That was _way _over the top Cato! You need to fucking _stop_! Because I know what it's like to not have a parent! Hell, I know what it's like to loose both parents! And it sucks, even without someone making your life a living hell as they remind you of it! As they remind you that your parents is never coming back!" I yell, my voice raising throughout my little speech.

Cato's face pales, "Love... I-I'm sorry! I forgot abo-"

"You can't just say sorry because I have a parent who's dead Cato. It's not right! You can't feel bad for something just because it affects me! You can't say any of this shit at all! None of it!" I exclaim.

He knits his eyebrows in confusion. "I don't understand... Katniss, ever since you've known me I've been doing stuff like this and you have never yelled at me before. Why now?"

I sigh and hang my head, "I regret not doing anything before. You think I don't hear what people say? They all wonder why the hell I'm with a jackass like you, and it's because I love you. I really do, more than anything. But... I'm done. I can't do this anymore Cato! I can't stand to see you hurting people the way you do, I know what it feels like to the on the receiving end of it. And it's not fun." I say, gradually getting quieter.

Cato's eyes widen and I see the fear lurking within them. "So, what are you saying?" He asks quietly.

"I-I'm saying we're over." I say in less than a whisper. I risk a glance at him, and he looks as if he's just been hit by a truck.

"W-What? But... But I thought you loved me!" He exclaims desperately.

I look at him in exasperation. "I _do _love you Cato! I just can't handle all the bullying, the constant putting people down! I can't deal with it anymore... I may love you, but I hate the things you do to other people. I can't be with you so long as you continue this, I'm sorry." By the time I end, I have tears in my eyes. I turn and start to run away, not caring that it's raining outside and that we still have five hours left of school. I just need to get away.

"Katniss! Wait! Please, I'll change! I won't be a jackass anymore! I promise! Please!" He shots after me, the heartbreak evident in his voice.

I turn just before I open the doors to take me away from this hell hole we call high school. "Then prove it." By how quietly I say it, I'm not even sure he heard me.

I don't have time to repeat myself though, because as soon as the words escape my lips, I'm out in the freezing rain; running home where I don't have to deal with all of this madness.

**Cato POV**

No. No, no, no, no! This cannot be happening, she's not leaving me. It's all a dream; yeah just a dream. A sick and twisted dream that's more like a nightmare than anything else.

But alas, the scene that just unfolded in front of my eyes isn't a nightmare, but instead a cruel reality. Katniss left me. My beautiful Katniss just broke up with me. The love of my life just walked right out of my life, and I really have no one to blame but myself.

I stand there while I stare at the doors she left in for who knows how long. I think I may hear the bell ring, but I'm not exactly sure. Eventually I come to, realizing I've been crying. I feel the wet tears stream down my cheeks silently, not a sob to be heard. I look around me to see people staring at me, each of their faces registering shock.

"What are you all looking at?" I roar brokenly. "Get to class!"

I take my own advice and start my walk to first block. Though my walk feels incomplete without my other half walking with me.

xxx

It's been six days, six dreadful days, since she's broken up with me. And I've basically been a walking corpse, I don't talk unless spoken too, I don't eat unless forced, and I don't pay attention to anything or anyone. It's like the life has been drained out of me.

Every night I've shed many tears, yearning for her body to be against mine providing me warmth in the cold of the night. Yearning for her lips to be on mine once again, pouring our hearts out into our kisses. I yearn for her to be in my arms again, where I can hold her as she cries, where I can comfort her, where she can comfort me. She's the one, she's my everything and she's gone. I can't think straight, the only thoughts floating through my mind are of her and what she said to me before leaving school that day.

_"Then prove it." _

She wasn't at school the first two days, I didn't go the first day. I only know she wasn't there because of Finnick, he's the one that got my ass out of bed the second day. Telling me that she may show up and she may come back to me. The third day was when she finally showed up, and I was ready to go and apologize to her. But she wouldn't even spare me a glance.

Today is no differed, I arrive in class and immediately look for her, Seeing her sitting in the way back of the room, far away from where we usually sit. I try to catch her eye, but to no avail. She won't even look at me.

I know I look like shit, I haven't showered in almost four days. I find no need to, because without her... There's no reason for anything. _She's _my reason.

I sit down in my seat and stare blankly out the window. My mind floods with thoughts of her, her lips, her hair, her eyes, her everything. She's always in my head, I can't seem to get her out. Nor do I really want to...

I hear the bell ring and someone runs in just after, getting me to avert my eyes to the front of the room. I see Beetee out of breath, his glasses crooked on his face.

"Beetee, late yet again. This is your fifth absence, correct? And five means a week of detention." Mr. Snow growls.

"But Cato-" Beetee starts, but is cut off right away.

"I don't care! This is your fifth and that means detention!" He snaps.

"It's not fair, he shouldn't get special treatment just because he's a football player." Beetee says.

Somehow, I finally realize what Katniss meant when she told me to 'prove it'. When I told her I would change, I didn't really think of what I was saying. I said it simply because I need her, I will do anything to have her with me. But now, now I realize the extent of what I said and what she said. She was right, I _am _a jackass. I told her I would change, and I will. Starting now.

"Actually, Snow, he's right. I don't think it's very fair either. Sure I've won a few football games, but Beetee here is a math-lete. And the smartest guy on that team, shouldn't that count for something?" I ask, finally speaking after days of almost silence.

Mr. Snow seems shocked as he stammers, trying to find something to say.

"I'm just saying, sir, I think someone as smart as Beetee should get some special treatment as well. Maybe everyone should?" I ask leaning back in my seat and getting comfortable.

Mr. Snow just shuts his mouth and scowls. "Fine. Go take a seat."

The only seat left is the one next to me, Katniss' old seat. So Beetee makes his way to me and plops down.

"How did you know I am a math-lete?"

I shrug, "I know a lot about almost everyone at this school."

He nods and then directs his attention back to the front. But there is still something I have to tell him.

"Beetee, look... I-I'm sorry. I know I've been a jerk to you, and I apologize. I now realize I can't go through life like this. And I'm really, truly, sorry."

He stares at me for the next few minutes, each of us completely disregarding Snow's lesson.

"I just want to apologize for being such a jerk. Because what I've done is in now way right, but I'm just now realizing it like the idiot I am."

Beetee cracks a small smile and then nods, sticking out his hand. It takes me a few seconds to realize he wants me to shake it. I take his hand and give it a firm shake, he gives me a curt nod and we turn back to Mr. Snow.

When class ends, I exit the room after I try to catch Katniss' eye. For the first time since she broke up with me, I do. I look over at her, and as I do I see her turn to look at me. My heart skips a beat, as it always does when her vibrant eyes meet mine, and I give her a crooked smile. She averts her gaze and looks back at her book-bag as she packs her stuff. I sigh and walk out the door.

At least she looked at me, at least I got to see her breathtaking gray eyes. It relieves me to no end when I see her love for me still clear in her eyes.

As I walk down the halls, I see more people who were the main victims of my bullying and I give them each sincere apologies. Then I see Peeta at his locker, so I decide to walk up to him. He cringes when he notices me.

"What do you want Cato?" He asks, and I can hear hints of fear in his voice. Fear because of what I've done.

"Peeta I'm sorry," I begin my apology like anyone else would. I perk his interest and he slowly closes his locker, giving me his full attention. "I know one simple word isn't going to ever make up for everything I've said to you throughout high school. And I'm ashamed to say it can't, I'm ashamed to say I'm that much of a bully. I can't even believe some of the things I've said to you, I don't know how I ever thought it was okay... Because it isn't not even close to being okay. I'm sorry for that, I'm sorry for everything."

Peeta crosses his arms and leans against the lockers, waiting for me to continue.

"I've had _no right_ to say the things I've said, I know that. I regret it all, I honestly do. You don't have to forgive me, that's not exactly what I'm asking. Because if I was you, I wouldn't forgive me. I'm a jackass. But I'm going to change that. I didn't mean anything I've said to you over the years, I didn't mean any of it. You don't deserve what your mother did to you, and I'm sorry that that happened to you. I'm sorry for what _I've _done to you, I truly am." I conclude.

He narrows his eyes and he seems to be conflicted. "Are you only apologizing to get Katniss back?" He asks skeptically.

I let out a humorless chuckle. "To be completely honest, that's a big part of the reason. I lost her for being a dick and I plan on getting her back. I want to be good enough for her, I want to change for her; be the man she needs. But this is also because I realize what I have done is wrong. Yes, she's the reason I realized it, but I realized it nonetheless. I could say I'm sorry a million times and it wouldn't make up for what I've said to you."

Peeta nods, and that's all he does before he speaks.

"Thanks, I guess. I forgive you, maybe I shouldn't, but I do." He says, pushing off the locker with a heavy sigh. "And I wish you luck in getting her back, as much as I dislike you... you're good to her." He gives me a nod and then walks off.

I don't think I'll ever be as good a guy as he is, that boy is a saint.

"Hey Peeta! Is Clove here today?" I call to him just before he turns the corner.

He turns around, "Yeah. Next class is history with Paylor. You should be able to meet her before the bell rings."

I thank him and begin my run up the stairs towards her classroom. I see her about to enter through the door so I quickly stop her.

"Clove, hey," I say, looking down at her while she looks up at me with panic.

"What? Are you here to remind me of the fact that my parents are dead? Or is that scheduled for later?" She asks sarcastically.

I sigh deeply. "I'm here to say I'm sorry. I'm here to say sorry for all the shit I've said and done. I'm here to say sorry for giving you hell through all the years. I'm here to say sorry about your parents. I'm here to say sorry and take back everything I've said to you. So... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything that's happened in your life, and I'm sorry I made it worse."

She looks shocked, of course she is. The boy who's been bullying her for years is all of the sudden apologizing?

"Why? Why would I forgive you? How do I know you don't just want Katniss back and as soon as she's in your arms again, you back to the way you were?"

"I do want Katniss back, more than anything. Loosing her has finally knocked some sense into me and brought me to reality. It's made me realize I need to change, I _want_ to change, I want to change for her and for myself. I want to be better, I don't want to be hated or feared anymore. Being able to change, begins with apologizing. Clove, I'm _so _sorry." I say sincerely.

She shakes her head, sudden tears in her eyes. "We used to be so close you know. Remember? All through middle school we were inseparable. Just us two; what the hell happened?"

I avert my eyes to the ground before slowly looking back at her. "I don't know. I changed for the worse, you met Peeta, I met Katniss and fell in love."

She nods slowly, then she surprises me by tackling me in a hug.

"I miss having you as a big brother," she whispers.

"I miss having you as a little sister."

She lets me go and steps back, "Can things go back to the way they were?"

I smile, "Of course. But... Katniss is my top priority, like I know Peeta is yours."

She nods, "I know."

The bell rings and she goes into her classroom, leaving me standing in the hall alone.

I look around and make my way to my next class. When I'm almost there I see Katniss making her way there from the other side of the hall. She looks up and her eyes meet mine as gray clashes with blue.

"Katniss..." I whisper, the only thing I've said to her in the past week.

She doesn't reply, she only looks at me blankly, her walls up like they were when we first met.

"I apologized to everyone I've given hell to." I begin, and I feel like I may begin to tear up shortly. "I know I've been a jerk, and I've changed. It may have only been one week, but I have. Loosing you... I don't know. It made something inside me click." I was right, I am tearing up. "It made me realize I couldn't continue to be that way and still be awarded with your love. I went to each person and apologized, I know it won't make up for what I did to them... But it's a start. I-" Then she's in my arms.

I don't see her run to me while I'm talking, but she cuts me off my running into my arms and burying her head in my chest. My arms reflexively wrap around her and I hold her close, one arm around her waist and the other on her upper back. I bury my face in her neck, my tears no doubt wetting her skin. I feel her own tears wetting my shirt.

"That's all I wanted," she whispers through her tears. Her voice is slightly muffled because her face is buried in my chest.

I stay silent, reveling in the fact she's back in my arms where she belongs, where she should always be.

"I just wanted you to realize what you've done is wrong and for you to apologize." She explains quietly.

I nod against her neck, pulling her even closer to me. I take in her smell, she smells of pine, citrus and everything sweet. Part of the reason I'm not talking is because I'm so choked up I can't.

"I missed you."

I bury my face farther in her neck. "I've missed you too, it's been torture without you." My voice is muffled and it's scratchy from my tears.

She starts to gently comb my short hair with her fingers, instantly calming me. My silent tears stop falling and so do hers, my shirt slowly drying. We stay in this position for who knows how long. I pull away first, keeping one arms firmly, yet gently, around her waist as the other pushes a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"I love you." I whisper.

A smile comes across her tasteful lips as they say, "I love you too."

I immediately attack her lips with my own in a soft and fervor kiss filled with longing, love, and bliss.

"Don't leave me ever again." I request against her lips.

"I don't plan on it, this past week has been pure agony for me too."

We kiss for much, much longer. Completely disregarding our class that's going on just ahead of us. We pull apart because we each run out of oxygen.

I rest my forehead against hers and rub our noses together. This is perfect, she's perfect, we're perfect.

xxx

(2 Months Later)

"Hey Cato! That was a great game! When you gave up that catch for Marvel I was flabbergasted! Incredible play!" The voice of Beetee exclaims from somewhere behind me.

"Thanks man, I heard the math-letes won the other day as well." Cato congratulates.

I smile to myself as I open my locker. I hear the two girls next to me deep in conversation.

"He's so nice! I don't know what happened, but whatever it was it worked!"

"I know! Like OMG, he is _so _dreamy! That Katniss is a lucky girl." The second girl exclaims.

I blush and nod, I really am. I feel the unforgettable arms of Cato engulf me from behind, causing a smile to form on my lips.

"Good morning beautiful. How's my lovely girlfriend doing?" He asks, spinning me around so that I'm facing him.

I kiss his cheek and he smiles like a dork.

"She's great, how's her incredible boyfriend doing?"

He chuckles and pecks my lips in a chaste kiss. "I'm terrific now that I'm with you."

We resume our daily routine, he takes my books for me and we walk to class. As we pass Peeta and Clove, Cato smiles at them.

"Hey guys," they greet.

"Hey Peeta, Clove." I say.

"Morning you two, ready for the calculus test?" Cato asks, stopping momentarily.

Peeta shrugs, "As ready as I'll ever be."

Clove shrugs as well, "I doubt it. Hey, are we all still on for tonight and the movies? 7:30 right?"

I nod, "Yep, sounds about right."

"Alright good, I gotta get to class so I'll see you all later." Clove says, Peeta walking off with her.

Cato and I continue our walk to class, just like any other day. Only now when he walks through the halls people greet him instead of shying away. Girls are jealous of me being with him instead of resenting me for it. Cato is no longer hated, he is no longer a bully. He is now one of the most loved students here, by teachers and fellow classmates.

* * *

><p><strong><em>"Heart Like Yours" (If I Stay soundtrack; Williamette Stone)<em>**

_"Breathe deep, breathe clear. Know that I'm here, know that I'm here waiting._

_Stay strong. Stay gold. You don't have to fear, you don't have to fear waiting._

_I'll see you soon, I'll see you soon. _

_How could a heart like yours, ever love a heart like mine?_

_How could I live before? How could I have been so blind? _

_You opened up my eyes. You opened up my eyes. _

_Sleep sound, sleep tight. Here in my mind, here in my mind; waiting._

_Come close my dear. You don't have to fear, you don't have fear; waiting._

_I'll see you soon, I'll see you soon. _

_How could a heart like yours, ever love a heart like mine?_

_How could I live before? How could I have been so blind? _

_You opened up my eyes, you opened up my eyes. _

_Hold fast hope all your love is all I've ever known._

_Hold fast hope, all your love is all I've ever known._

_How could a heart like yours, ever love a heart like mine?_

_How could I live before? How could I have been so blind?_

_You opened up my eyes, you opened up my eyes. _

_You opened up my eyes, you opened up my eyes._

* * *

><p><strong>What did you think? Shall I continue? If yes, the next chapter will be one of the other pairings!<strong>

**Don't forget to leave a review, they are highly appreciated. **


	2. Everlark

_"Your cute smile and your happy laughter attracted me to you, but your caring and loving heart is the reason why I want to spend the rest of my life with you."_

**Everlark**

* * *

><p><strong>Peeta POV<strong>

Marvel finishes his ridiculous story that leaves us all in bursts of laughter, he just told us about another one of his crazy dates. He seems to have a new story for us every week. This date in particular was with Cashmere, apparently he took the snobby girl fishing. When they got there, she complained the entire time. So when Marvel finally caught a fish he unhooked it and threw it on her. She started freaking out and it scared her so much she fell smack dab into the water.

I have tears in my eyes, along with everyone else at the table, from laughing so damn hard. We are currently at lunch and I'm sitting with all my friends. Cato, Marvel, Finnick, Gloss, Brutus, Glimmer, Clove, and Cashmere, and Thresh. I probably have more than I need, but who cares.

I wipe the tears from my eyes and shake my head, still chuckling slightly.

"Is this true Cashmere?" I ask the glaring girl with a smirk.

"Sadly yes," she huffs. "The idiot threw it at me _as I was standing on the edge of the fucking dock!_" She yells towards the end.

That only results in the table laughing even harder, our laughter eventually comes to an end allowing me to hear someone at the table behind me. A sound easily recognizable

**Katniss POV**

I look up from my pathetic excuse for a lunch, all I have is a turkey sandwich that is 90% bread. As I look up I meet the beaming smile of Peeta Mellark. The schools most popular and most desirable guy ever to be known here at school. He is laughing at something one of his many friends said, his whole table is laughing actually.

I sigh and take a bite of my bread sandwich, I gave Prim the last of the turkey this morning. Leaving a morsel of it for myself, so while she eats an actual sandwich with cheese and lettuce I'm stuck here eating bread. It's for the best though, she needs her food. She's only eleven after all.

"Staring at bread boy again?" Johanna asks me, her lips curved up into her famous smirk.

"Maybe," I mutter.

She now looks at my sandwich and snorts. "From the look of your sandwich, you need a butcher. Not a baker."

The rest of my table laughs, and I can't help but laugh as well. It _was_ pretty funny, although I don't want a butcher. Peeta the baker seems perfectly fine.

I'm sure every other girl at this school wants him, and I'm sure a lot of them have been with him. After all he is a teenage boy with raging hormones with many girls falling head over heels for him. But just like every other girl at this school, I've fallen for his charm and good looks. No, we haven't ever shared a conversation, yet I've fallen for him. It's crazy, I don't know how it happened. I just woke up one day and boom, I realized I was in love with a man who doesn't even know I exist.

xxx

"Katniss, we are out of milk..." Prim calls me from the kitchen.

I sigh, putting my pencil down and take a quick break from my hellish homework.

"Prim, we are out of everything." I stressfully call back.

I hear a deep sigh from her, "Yeah. I know."

I look at the clock on the wall; 5:00.

"I have time to go to the store, but that just means no getting anything for the next week. Because I don't get my pay until then. I was going to save up... but I guess we can't really go much longer with nothing." I say, getting up and walking to the front.

"Alright, well be safe." Prim says, appearing in the doorway of the kitchen of our one story house.

I smile and ruffle up her hair. "Of course. I'll be home in about a half hour."

I quickly put on my shoes and open the door, as soon as I do Prim's hellish cat appears out of nowhere and runs out the door into the fall air.

"Buttercup!" Prim cries, calling after her cat.

I groan, great. Now I have to chase a fucking cat.

"I'll get him, just go do your homework or something." I tell her before I close the door, running after the damned cat.

**Peeta POV**

I'm walking down the street, just coming home from football practice. My car's in the shop and none of the other players go straight home after practice. So I have to walk home, it's not that bad though. It's only a twenty minute walk, and it's good for me anyways. An extra work-out for me.

As I'm walking, I hear the most God awful sound. It's a mix between a hiss and a meow of sorts. It comes from the bushes I'm walking past and next thing I know, I have a butt ugly cat attached to my face.

"Ahhh!" I yell, pulling the thing off of me. I hold it away from me and give the squirming mutant cat a good look. I would have thought it to be a stray if the poor thing didn't have a collar on. The cat is a mustardy yellow color with matted fur and a smashed in face. The wretched thing even has an under bite. Ugliest cat I've ever seen...

I check the name tag on the collar and see the name 'Buttercup'.

I don't see an address though, so I simply hold the smelly cat as far away from me as possible as it hisses and spits.

"You must be the cat from hell," I mumble.

I hear running up ahead and look up to see none other than Katniss herself running towards me.

"Who brought an angel..." I whisper, freezing up. Is she really running towards me? Is one of my many fantasies of her running into my arms about to come true? Is this devil cat the cause of it? She stops in front of me but I notice her eyes are solely trained on the cat.

"Thank god you found him!" She exclaims, still not looking at me. "Buttercup, you rat you," she scolds, glaring at the cat. He hisses at her and buries himself closer to me, his disgusting fur getting up my nose.

She rolls her eyes and reaches for him. I gladly let him go and she brings him into her arms as he struggles to break free.

"Thanks again, I don't know what I would have don-" only now does she look up at me, and when she does she stops mid sentence.

I can't seem to form words myself, I'm too lost in her gray eyes. I've never seen anyone with gray eyes before...

I mentally slap myself and give her my best smile.

"Of course, the little rascal ran right to me," I say charmingly.

She smiles shyly, "If I hadn't found him, or rather if you hadn't found him, my sister would have been devastated! This demon is her angel.

I raise a brow, "Now how does that work?"

Katniss lets out a small laugh, making my heart skip a beat.

I just made her laugh. Score.

"I have no clue." She says, holding Buttercup a little tighter as he fidgets in her arms, trying and failing to get out of her hold.

I look at my shoes awkwardly, maybe now is my chance. Maybe now I can ask her out. Maybe we ca-

"Well I better get this rat, I mean cat, back home. Thanks again Peeta." With those final words she begins to walk away.

"Uh, yeah. You're welcome, Katniss." I say somewhat dejectedly.

I just lost my chance... The voice of Finnick invades my thoughts and begins to mock me. If he were here, he would force me to go and ask her out. Her walking away is no excuse.

So that's what I'm going to do, I run after her and fall into step beside her. She looks over at me, surprised.

"Uh, hey?" She asks confusedly.

I chuckle, "Hey, again... Uh, well. I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to go get something to eat? After you take Buttercup home of course." I add quickly And completely lamely.

She stops walking and just kind of stares at me, making me nervous. No wonder, I just asked the most special girl ever to live, in the most boring way. She'll probably walk straight to Gales after slapping me in the face for such a lame date proposal.

Then she interrupts my thoughts and slowly nods, "Yeah, sure."

"Really?" I ask. "I mean, of course. I'll meet you at, uh... At the Hob in fifteen minutes. Dinner on me, so don't bring anything other then your beautiful smile." I say, my charm back for the moment.

She blushes and nods, "I'll see you then."

xxx

Her eyes light up, her laughter filling the room. I laugh along with her, my arm situated around her as we lounge in our apartment. It's been four years, four years since I manned up and asked her out that chilly fall day.

"Oh god, why am I not surprised?" She asks, laying her head on my shoulder.

I chuckle and kiss the top of her head.

"Because Marvel is the stupidest man alive." I suggest.

She laughs again and agrees with me.

We've been together for the last four years, living together for the past two. We admitted our love on that first date, as crazy as it sounds. I said it first, finding it hard to keep my feelings in. I was completely surprised when she said it back. I had honestly expected her to get up and run, never to look at me again.

Much to my liking, she had said it back hesitantly. As soon as she did so, I got up and kissed her. I will never forget that kiss. She was definitely surprised at first, her lips still for a few seconds. Then, her lips started moving against mine. I must say it was the best kiss I had ever received at the time.

From then on we have been inseparable, no one has ever been able to tear us apart. Trust me, other people have tried. Just after we got together, Gale tried to take her from me. And a few months after that, Delly tried to take me from her. But of course we would never leave each other, we're in love after all.

She became close friends with my friends and I with hers. She became closest with Finnick, mainly because he and Annie got together shortly after Katniss and I did.

Tonight is our four year anniversary as a matter of fact. As cliche as it is, tonight is also the night I will propose to her.

We are going on a double date with Finnick. I wanted it to just be us two but the place I'm taking us is very expensive and I have a coupon for two couples and everything half off.

The reason we are going to the restaurant we are, is because Katniss told me that it's the place her father proposed to her mom. I want to make it memorable, and what better place than there?

xxx

We finish dinner and Finnick orders us all refills on wine. This will be Katniss' first glass though, she's not much of a drinker.

I give Finnick a grateful smile, because if she didn't have wine then my plan on proposing wouldn't work. You see, I'm going to put the ring in her wine glass. But I have to do so without her seeing, so I wink at Finnick so he knows I'm ready. He nods slightly and then looks behind Katniss with a gasp.

"Oh my gosh! Katniss, your sister is here! And she's with a boy!" He exclaims.

Katniss' eyes widen and she whips her head around, giving me just enough time to slip the ring inside her wine glass.

Now I just have to hope she doesn't choke on it.

She turns back around and gives Finnick the funniest look ever.

"She's not here..."

He looks behind her again, confusedly.

"Hmm, I guess you're right. Oops." He shrugs, throwing an arm around Annie. He proposed to her only a year after they got together. Their freshman year of college, and they got married only months after that.

Katniss begins to take small sips of her wine as we talk about memories of our relationship.

She pauses mid story as she takes a sip, giving us a dumbfounded look. She reaches into her mouth and her eyes widen when she takes out a ring.

"P-Peeta?" She asks, staring at the ring in shock.

By now I'm on one knee, and I take her hand slowly.

"Katniss... I love you, it's no surprise. I express it whenever I can. And I want to express it even more, what better way than to propose? We've known each other since kindergarten. I've been in love with you since then as well, you have always been the apple of my eye. We've been together since senior year of High school. Four years today. And. Well, I want to spend the rest of my life with you as my wife by my side. For better or for worse, Katniss Everdeen will you marry me?"

She has her hand over mouth as she gasps, her eyes wide as tears of happiness form in them.

"Yes," she says so softly I barely hear. "Of course I'll marry you, Peeta!" She says louder, I stand up and quickly envelope her in my arms. I swing her around before placing her on her feet and connecting our lips in a heated kiss.

"You just made me the happiest man alive." I whisper against her lips as the whole restaurant cheers for us.

She smiles, "You have always made me the happiest, and luckiest, girl alive."

**Wow, terrible ending I know... **


	3. Karvel

_"Forget the risk and take the fall, if it's meant to be its worth it all." _

**Karvel**

* * *

><p>I look out the window on my right, staring out at the open world while I'm stuck here in Calculus. Mr. Plutarch's lesson can't be any more boring, half the class is already asleep and I'm about to join them.<p>

I scan the parking lot and beyond, my eyes wandering all the way to the mountains in the distance with snow covering their caps. I sigh and rest my head on my hand, only another hour of school and then I can leave.

I have an A in this class, as well as every other class. Some at this school think I love it here, truth is I hate it. Just like any other reasonable person.

I see a 1974 red Toyota pull into the almost empty parking lot and out steps my boyfriend of two years; Marvel. He's three years older than I, being 21. He has his own small apartment on the other side of this tiny town. As a matter of fact, I live with him. Yeah, I'm 18 and I live with my boyfriend. But we are in love, and don't most in love couples live together?

He asked me to move in only six months ago, and I agreed right away. Best decision I've ever made. We met at a football game here at school, he came back to see some of his friends playing, who were seniors at the time. I was 16, and we accidentally bumped into one another. He says it was love at first sight, for me... it took slightly longer. I'm not naive now, and I wasn't then either. He's three years older than me, and at the time I was only 16. As far as I knew he only wanted sex from me... I couldn't have been more wrong.

Some people at this school think I'm a slut for living with Marvel, they all assume living with a 21 year old only involves sex every night. Although I'm actually a virgin. I know Marvel isn't, we've had the talk many times before. It's a tough subject for him, because when he was 16 he was forced into having sex with his mothers best friend. She came over one night to hang out with his mom, got drunk and forced him into a room. That's part of the reason he lives on his own now, he thinks his mother let it happen. The other reason being that he's 21.

I watch as he gets out of the car and stands there in all his glory, waiting for school to let out. Many girls here have tried to get with him, he's what you would call a 'hottie.' I see them going up to him and flirting with him all the time, even if they all know he's completely devoted to me, and I to him. It bothers me, but he never even acknowledges them. His eyes are always solely trained on me.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts at the sound of the bell. I quickly pack and make my way outside. When I get to the parking lot, I see a few girls off to the side talking amongst their group while they point at Marvel. I roll my eyes and look at him, his eyes are focused on me and he is smiling widely. His bright green eyes filled with love.

I walk into his open arms and he gives me a tight embrace.

"Hey beautiful," he greets me, kissing the top of my head.

I smile and pull away so that I can see his warm eyes boring into my own.

"Hey handsome." I say back with a small smile.

He chuckles and leans down to give me a small kiss. He's a good 5 or 6 inches taller than me, being 6'3 while I stand at about 5'9.

We pull apart and get in his car, he opens the door for me like always and I kiss his cheek as he does so, like always.

He hops in the car and as we pull away I look at the group of girls who are now glaring at my side of the car. Marvels hand encases mine and he lifts it up to his lips where he presses a small kiss to it.

"How was your day?" He asks, intertwining our fingers.

I sigh and lay me head back on the seat, "Boring, long. What about you? How's the restaurant?"

Now it's Marvels turn to sigh, "Well... Alright I guess. Same as always, business is slow. Always the same few people coming, and even they are starting to disperse."

I frown at him and lean over to quickly peck his temple. He smiles softly and looks over at me.

You see, Marvel owns a small restaurant not far from our apartment. He bought the property about a month after I met him, it's always been a dream of his. He saved up the money and went ahead and bought it without thinking much of the risk... Now he thinks it's a bad investment, he never even went to business school and he regrets it. The restaurant isn't doing to well, and it required me to get a job. So I'm the manager at the JC Penny's across from his apartment.

"It will get better." I tell him, I don't say 'I promise' because I can't promise that. No one can.

He sighs and nods, "I hope, I sure hope so."

xxx

I head home from JC Penny's and check the time on my flip phone.

7:47

I groan, I still have a mountain of homework sitting on the kitchen table waiting to be completed. I have a huge test to study on top of it all. I speed up and arrive at the apartment in just a few minutes. I unlock the door to see Marvel sitting at the kitchen table doing paperwork. I sigh and walk up to him, I lean down from behind him and put my arms around his shoulder and he melts into my touch. I kiss his cheek before resting my head on his shoulder.

He sets down his pencil and turns his head to look at me.

"Hey," I say softly.

He gives me a quick smile. "Hey yourself, how was work?"

I shrug, "Fine, a few tough customers. A few PMS'ing bitches, the usual."

He chuckles and pecks my lips. "You hungry?"

I nod and he pushes out of his chair and walks to the fridge.

"Go ahead and get comfortable, I know you hate that uniform." He says softly before opening up the fridge. Before I walk back to our room, I see him look around the fridge for a few moments and sighs deeply before rubbing his face.

"What am I going to do?" He asks himself quietly and dejectedly.

I know he isn't only talking about making a silly dinner.

I shake my head and walk into our room and change into sweatpants and one of his sweatshirts. I walk back out and see Marvel setting my plate of three pierogies and broccoli down on the counter. It's not much, but I know it's all we have. I'm just glad we have anything at all, there have been many nights we go to bed on an empty stomach.

"I see you're wearing my sweatshirt." He comments, his previous concerns hidden from me. I know he doesn't want me to worry, but I don't like him taking all this stress alone...

I snort, "When do I not?"

He chuckles and gives me a real smile. "True, very true."

After dinner I go to our room and do my homework on the bed while he does the restaurants paperwork at the desk. The whole time I'm completing this god awful homework, he's running his hands through his hair many times, showing me he's stressed.

I look at the clock once I finish and see that it's already 11:06.

"I get my paycheck at the end of the week, $500. I can work a little later tomorrow and get paid 50 more..." I speak up, closing my textbook and setting it on the side table.

He turns to look at me and gives me a weak, forced smile.

"You don't have to do that, you get home late already. And I know you have a lot of homework, being those advanced courses and all, let me take care of it." He says softly. "You don't need to worry."

I frown and get up to walk over to him, he pushes his chair back a bit and I sit sideways in his lap. He puts his arms around me and I lay my head on his chest. He sets his chin atop my head.

"I don't want you to take the burden of this on your own," I mumble.

He kisses my head before resting his chin on it again.

"Katniss, love, it's all ok-"

I pull back to look into his eyes, "Don't lie to me, Marvel. Don't."

His eyes search mine for a while and then slowly he lets me see how truly stressed he is. I rest my forehead against his and he closes his eyes for a second.

"The restaurant just isn't doing very well. I'm sorry, I wish I could have better for you."

"I couldn't have it any better, I have you Marvel. You're more than enough. Everything will be alright, things will look up." I say quietly, trying to sound as reassuring as possible.

Marvel gives me a grateful smile and presses his lips to mine. Once we pull away I rest my head back on his chest and he slowly rubs my back, almost putting me to sleep in a matter of minutes.

"You should get some sleep." I mutter through a yawn.

He chuckles, his chest vibrating as he does so. "Maybe you should take your own advice."

I shake my head against his chest, "Not until you come to bed, I can't sleep without you."

"I'll come as soon as I figure this out, just give me ten more minutes. You, you need to go bed." He says gently yet firmly.

I look at him with a pout and he brushes a stray strand of hair behind my ear. He picks me up and walks me back to our small and lumpy bed; we got it for only twenty dollars at Good Will when we first moved in.. I'm set down and put under the covers before I feel him set a light kiss to my forehead, gracing me with a smile.

"Go to sleep, I'll be in bed shortly." He commands lightly.

I nod and snuggle into the pillow, too tired to argue. I fall asleep almost right away, not long after I'm awoken by the slight dip in his side of the bed. I feel Marvels arms wraps around my waist and I'm pulled against his bare, firm chest. I snuggle up to him and breath in his scent just before I let sleep overcome me once again.

xxx

I wake up to the sound of my wretched alarm, causing me to let out a groan. Marvel doesn't have to wake up for another half hour so I get up quietly and tip toe to the bathroom where I get in the shower. I make sure to take a quick one as not to wake Marvel and to keep our water bill at a minimum.

I quickly get dried and dressed, when I walk back into the room I see that Marvel is no longer in bed. I walk into the kitchen and see him setting with two pieces of toast and orange juice on the counter.

"Sorry it's all we have love, I just haven't had time to go to the store. Nor do we have the money." He says with a sorry smile, his eyebrows pulled together in stress and worry.

I shake my head with a small smile, "It's no big deal Marvel, it's not different from how I've grown up. You know that..."

He walks up to me and puts his arms around my waist. "I know, and I'm hoping to change that. I've always wanted to give you the best ever, everything you could ever want. It's just that our money is so tight right now an-"

I cut him off with a kiss, "Shut up."

He gives me a half smile, "I was rambling again, wasn't I?"

I nod and I rub my thumb softly across his cheek before pecking his lips. He gives me a goofy grin once we pull apart and then reaches into his wallet, taking out the only money within it's black depths.

"Alright, let's get you to school. Here's 5$ for lunch, I know it's not mu-"

"Marvel." I cut him off with a warning tone.

He blushes, "Oops."

I kiss his cheek and pull out of his arms to head out of the cheap and cruddy apartment building. We hop in his old beat up car and he drives me to school. When he drops me off he gives me a fervent kiss just like any other day. Girls stare me down with jealousy, as always.

I'm not going to lie, Marvel is _very_ attractive. He's slim but muscular, he's got nice a six pack, and he has brown hair with vibrant green eyes. He's always dressed in plaid tucked into jeans, and he makes it look _hot_.

"I love you, see you at 3:30." He says as I exit the car, giving me a lasting smile.

"Love you too."

xxx

**(End of the Year)**

Finally school is over, after four wretched years of this hell hole, I graduated. Earlier today to be exact, and Marvel decided to take me out for dinner afterwards. I was invited to a few parties, but I really just wanted to go home and cuddle up to Marvel while we watch movies.

He took me out to a somewhat fancy restaurant, probably a place the middle class could eat at every day. Though for us it's as expensive as a freaking diamond necklace. We get seated and he takes my tiny hands from across the table, enveloping them in his larger ones.

"We never talked about college, did we?" He asks sort of befuddled after we order.

I shrug and look down at our hands, his thumb rubbing mine delicately. "I guess we didn't."

"Where do you plan on going? Sorry I've never asked..." He says with nervous chuckle.

I shake my head, "I haven't applied anywhere. We don't have the money, Marvel. We barely have enough money to get by as it is, paying for college on top of everything else? I don't want to put either of us under that much stress."

He smiles shyly, "Well, about that..."

I narrow my eyes and cock my head. "Marvel, love, what the hell did you do."

He gives me a sheepish grin and shrugs shyly. "I may have saved up some money to pay for your first year of college."

My jaw drops, "Y-you did what?"

"I kinda started saving up when I first met you... I told you, love at first sight. At first I was just saving up to buy you a necklace because I was young and dumb and thought you may want a new and fancy necklace worth a thousand dollars... but then you opened up to me and I to you. After that college seemed more important that any necklace."

"Marvel... I would rather have an old beat up hoodie as opposed to a fancy necklace." I say in shock.

He chuckles and looks down before meeting my eyes again. "I know, that's why I switched away from that and to college. But this is more valuable than a necklace and better than a hoodie." He says softly.

"You didn't."

He nods with a small smile, "I'm afraid I did, love."

"What about the restaurant and all its bad times? Why didn't you just take some money from this college fund you say you have made for me? The restaurant needed it..."

He shakes his head, "You know you are more important to me than any stupid restaurant. You're number one on my priority list. And I don't want you to do the stupid ass thing I did and skip college. The stress that comes with it is the last thing you need. It's the last thing we both need."

I'm speechless, all I can do is kiss him. I jump into his arms and he chuckles, kissing me back with a smile.

"So... Where do u want to go?" He asks in a slight daze once I pull away.

"I... I don't know. I never even considered college an option. I didn't even apply anywhere." I say, blinking a few times, still in shock.

I end up waiting a year and even then I only go to the community college. I had the grades to get into Harvard, but community college worked better for me and Marvel. That way I can help him with the restaurant more, plus community college costs less.

xxx

A year later, my first year of college, something amazing happens.

I'm in the living room while Marvels out at work. He still owns that restaurant, barely making ends meet. I help out with my JC Penny's job, I only make but so much. And I go to college on top of that, so it lessens my work hours. I'm reading one of my fathers favorite books when I hear the door open and Marvel burst through the door.

"Katniss! Love, where are you?" He asks out of breath, turning all around to look for me.

I stand up from where I am and cock an eyebrow, "I'm here, wh-"

That's all I get out before he's picking me up and swinging me around and around. I laugh and yell at him to put me down before I get too dizzy.

He stops spinning me but still holds me tight. "You're never going to believe this!"

"What?"

"I mean this is amazing!" He exclaims.

"What is?"

"Oh my gosh, I can't even believe that this is happening!" He says with his eyes wide.

"What?!" I ask loudly, getting his attention this time.

"You know that show 'Diners Drive Ins and Dives?" He asks, I nod and he continues. "Okay, well the dude, Guy, stumbled across my restaurant and ordered our special! We gave it to him, and he _loved_ it! Katniss, love, he's filming it. It's going to be on the show!"

My jaw drops and I hug him tightly, "Oh my gosh! Marvel, this is great!"

"I know! Katniss... We are going to be okay. After this, no more bread and cheese for lunch. You will be having freaking lobster. No more freezing showers, you can take a long and hot shower lasting hours and hours. No more date nights with spam for dinner! No, we can go to the fanciest restaurants in the county! We are going to be okay. Darling, we are going to be okay." He sounds the most relieved I've ever heard him.

"Now... Now I can give you all you want." He says softly.

I cock my head to the side and give him a soft look. "Marvel, I don't want anything. You're all I want, only you."

He smiles and looks down at his feet bashfully.

"Marvel, you're dream is going to come true." I say, excitement coursing through me.

He looks back at me and it's his turn to cock his head. "Love, my only dream is to be the one who makes you happy, to be the one you love. To be the lucky guy who wins your heart over."

I brush his hair back a bit and smile gingerly. "Then I guess it's already come true."

He leans down and presses his lips to mine in a gentle yet fervor kiss. He deepens it, swiping his tongue along my bottom lip. I open my mouth and his tongue meets mine in a fight for dominance.

My arms go around his neck as I thread my fingers through his hair, causing a deep moan to escape his lips. His hand on my back travels down to my butt, causing me to jump up and wrap my legs around him. His arms hold me up, one situated under my butt and the other on my back holding me close. He radiates warmth and love.

"If your love was all I ever had in this world, than that would be enough until the end of time." He mumbles against my lips, mid moan.

I kiss him back harder in response. He lays back on the couch, or rather falls back.

"God I love you, so fucking much."

"I love you too." I say back as I kiss down his neck. I feel something poking my thigh and I smirk.

"Katniss, I want you. I want you now. I know you want to wait... So we need to stop." He groans as I move my hips against him.

I pull back, breathing slightly heavy.

"Sorry..." I say, a blush evident on my face. "I got carried away."

He shakes his head rapidly, "Love, don't EVER say sorry for that. I welcome that with open arms. As long as it's only for me, because just the thought of another man touching you disgusts me."

"I wouldn't want anyone else, trust me Marvel. You are the only one who gets anything from me, the only one who will ever get anything from me."

He nods and presses another kiss to my cheek before I get up off of him. He gets up and I see his raging boner.

"If you would excuse me, I'm going to go take a cold shower."

I chuckle and nod.

"When I'm done, uh, with my business... I'll come back and we can watch a movie or something." He says, awkwardly waddling into our room.

I laugh and lay back on the couch, I check the clock and see that it's 8:30.

Shortly Marvel comes back out in sweatpants and a tank top, showing the muscles in his arms. I sit up as he sits down, he pulls me into his arms and he lays back on the couch. He pulls the blanket that is draped over the back of the couch and throws it over us. I lay my head on his chest and revel in his warmth. His hand goes up my shirt as he rubs my back.

He smells like soap and shampoo, his hair is still slightly damp. Some of it lays in clumps on his forehead so I brush it back and kiss his forehead before laying my head on his chest and snuggling up to him. Not long after he turns on a movie and I fall asleep, the last thing I hear is an 'I love you, Katniss' whispered and a kiss on my head before sleep over takes my system and I fall asleep.

I wake up the next morning in bed and in pajamas. The covers are pulled up to my chin and I'm all tucked in. I smile and look over to my side, seeing Marvel isn't there.

I get up and go to the kitchen where I see a note and breakfast. I sit down at the counter and pull the plate to me. I take a piece of bacon and start munching on it as I read Marvels note.

_Sorry I left so early, but today's the day! It's soon, I know, but news is already all over town. Guy wants to film today and the show should be aired in just a month. I want you to be here, so come whenever you're ready. He will be here from 11 to 4. _

_Love you lots _

_-Marvel. _

I smile at the note and finish my breakfast. Soon I'm ready and I head to his restaurant. When I get there it's already packed. I have to walk through a crowd of people just to be able to get into the place. There are cameras everywhere, there must be at least five cameramen here. I look around the crowded place and find Marvel talking to Guy, both laughing. Our eyes meet and his instantly brighten up, he motions me over and I happily walk to him and the host.

"Guy, this is my lovey girlfriend Katniss. Katniss, this is Guy." He introduces.

Guy smiles and shakes my hand, "great to meet you." He turns to Marvel and slaps his back. "Dang boy, you did good. How did you end up with this beauty anyways?"

Marvel laughs and winks at me, "That's what everyone says, I don't know how I got someone as amazing as her."

I blush and his arm going around my waist. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

I kiss his cheek and Guy awes.

"I would love to have a little of you and her on the show, people love a restaurant that has a couple running it." He states.

"I was just coming to support Marvel..." I tell him.

"Well you can support him by being on the show." Guy concludes, clapping his hands together once.

xxx

A month later Marvel has a few friends over and we all sit down to watch the airing of the show. Ever since it was filmed his restaurant has been booming with business, and it hasn't even been aired. We expect even more people to come once it's put on TV, he's planning on getting the restaurant expanded to have more seating areas.

Him and I are sitting on the love seat, I'm sitting in between his legs with my head on his shoulder and his arms are placed around me. His friends, Finnick, his girlfriend Annie, Peeta, his girlfriend Delly, Cato- he's single, and my friends, Madge, Gale- also single, Thresh and his girlfriend, Finch.

The show starts and we are all on the edge of our seat. I look up at Marvel and see his eyes shining with pride and admiration. I smile and look back at the TV.

A scene of him and I come on and everyone awes. It's a scene I didn't even know he recorded. I'm helping Marvel cook something and he tells me a stupid joke, I look up at him and snort. I call him an idiot, yet I look at him like all the stars that shine and he looks at me just the same. He leaned down and gently kissed me, I smiled and lean into his side as we continued to cook.

Once the little scene ends Marvel kisses the top of my head and I feel his warm breath on the top of my ear. I snuggle closer to him and he chuckles. His arms tighten around me and I sigh contently.

xxx

After the restaurant was aired, Marvel and I became somewhat rich. He expanded the restaurant and even made his own commercials. We moved into a bigger house, nothing extravagant. It's two stories and is kind of lopsided, having a basement and just the regular floor. The garage is on the lower level, there is an office down there as well. Then there are steps right at the front door up the the living room because of the land it was built on. Down the hall from the living room are four other rooms, three are bedrooms and one is a bathroom. We have a small kitchen just off the living room.

With all the money from the restaurant, we could afford a much, much nicer house. But Marvel and I agree that this is all we need. We even bought two new cars. A 2010 green Mustang for me and a 2015 Red Ford Fusion for him.

Life has been amazing, Marvel proposed to me last month and we are getting married in only four months. I finished college last year, only going through year 2. Once the restaurant took off I stopped going and became co-owner of the restaurant, quitting my job at JC Penny's.

xxx

After the wedding, I gave myself to Marvel. We made love all through the night and all through our honeymoon. I don't know how I ever was able to convince myself to wait, it was one of the best experiences of my life.

Only a year after we got married, I got pregnant. I was nervous that Marvel was going to get mad, but when I told him he was ecstatic. I've never seen him so happy, needless to say he's ready to become a father. Me... I guess I'm somewhat ready to become a mother...

I've been pregnant for 7 months now, and Marvel won't let me do anything. He babies me, won't even let me walk to the store. I have to stay in the house at all times, and it's annoying to say the least. But I love him anyways, and I know he just wants to keep me and our baby safe.

"Katniss, love, I'm home!" He calls and I hear the sound of the door closing from the living room. I look over the railing of the stairs and see him coming up them. It's 2 in the morning right now and I couldn't sleep, I've been craving vanilla cake. So I sent him out to get some, and he, being the amazing husband he is, just got back with my cake.

He walks up the stairs and I greet him with a kiss, my huge belly preventing me from sitting up easily. He sets the cake down on the table in front of me and goes to the kitchen, he comes back with two forks but no plates.

He chuckles and sits down next to me, "I don't think we really need plates now do we?"

I shake my head no and smile at him. "Thanks again for going out and getting this, I know I'm a whiny bitch but I can't help it."

He kisses my temple, "I know, but you're my bitch."

I snort and pull away, softly smacking him. He chuckles and we dig into the cake. In just a few minutes half of it is gone. I get full after eating more than half the cake and lay my head on his shoulder, I almost fall asleep but wake up when I remember I'm too heavy for him to carry to bed.

I stand up, or attempt to stand up, startling Marvel.

"I thought you fell asleep." He comments, helping me up as he gets up himself. I shake my head while I yawn.

"I woke up when I remembered you can't take me to bed."

He smiles softy, "I still would have tried, I'm strong. I may have been able to."

I chuckle and shake my head as we walk into our room, "I doubt it. Unless you want to break your back." He laughs and walks with me to bed.

We get in and I snuggle up to his side like I have done for the past 6 years.

"Goodnight beautiful, love you."

"Love you too."

xxx

Twelve hours of labor and I finally hold my baby girl in my arms.

"Congratulation Mrs. Harding, would you like me to call in your husband?" My doctor asks me. I nod, too happy and tired to speak.

Next thing I know there is a pair of lips on my temple and I feel my husbands presence next to me.

"She's beautiful." He whispers, brushing her hair on her forehead.

I nod and lay my head on his shoulder, tears of joy forming in my eyes.

"She looks just like you." He whispers, causing me to break my eyes from our precious baby to my amazing husband. "She has your gray eyes."

I look back at her and smile, "But she has your nose."

He chuckles, "That's not good."

I laugh and he leans down to press a small kiss to my lips.

"C-can I hold her?" He asks hesitantly.

"Marvel, she's your daughter too. No need to ask to hold her." I say as I hand my little bundle of joy over to her daddy.

"Hey there little girl, I'm your daddy. The one who told you corny jokes while in mommy." He says, causing me to laugh. His eyes shine with pride and love, I know mine do too.

"What should we name her?" He asks, rocking her in his arms.

"I haven't really thought of it." I admit.

He smiles down at me, "How about Rue?"

"Rue." I repeat, liking the way it sounds on my tongue. "Rue." I say again, this time with a firm nod.

"Rue Harding. Now we just need a middle name." I say as Marvel sits down next to me. I lay my head on his shoulder, all of the sudden the twelve hours of labor hits me. And it hits me hard.

"How about Prim as her middle name?" He asks, he hands her to me and puts an arm around my shoulders and I cradle her in my arms.

"After my sister?" I ask, she passed along with my father when I was younger.

He nods, "Unless you don't want-"

I cut him off with a kiss, "It's perfect."

"You're perfect, you and our daughter. I love you, I love you so much. I swear I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have been able to gain your love." Marvel says softly, resting his own head on top of mine after kissing it.

I smile and look down at Rue, "I think it's the other way around." I yawn and snuggle closer into his side. His arm around me tightens slightly so that I feel more secure.

"Go to sleep love, I'll be here when you wake up." He whispers, that's all it takes for me to conk out.

The last thing I hear before I completely fall asleep is Marvels melodic voice. "I love you Katniss, and I love you Rue. I guess dreams really do come true."

* * *

><p><strong>Terrible ending, I know... But hey, I like it!<strong>

**Let me know what you think by leaving a review!**

**The song that goes with this I don't really like, but I discovered it AFTER I wrote this.**

**"As Long As You Love Me," Justin Bieber**


	4. Catoniss 2

**_Catoniss_**

_"The best and the longest lasting relationships start off as friendships." _

Cato POV

I turn my away head from Glimmer and her endless attempts to seduce me. As of now she's basically rubbing herself all over me while suggesting everything and anything sexual. I'm seriously thinking of slapping her.

"My parents are actually going to be gone all weekend, so maybe we could get together and, erm, study?" She asks seductively, rubbing her hand along my bicep almost making me hurl. The she leans up and whispers in my ear. "Or we could, you know, go to my room and-"

I shiver, not from pleasure but from disgust. When will this girl stop? Doesn't she see that I want anything but her? I stand up abruptly from where I'm seated, not letting her finish whatever she was going to say, and I capture everyone's attention. Including Mrs. Paylor.

"Can I be excused to go to the restroom?" I ask in annoyance, even if she says no I'm still going. Anything to get away from the slut next to me.

I hear Glimmer huff next to me and I glance down to see her pouting angrily with her shoulders slumped and her arms crossed across her chest dejectedly. I exit the room and as I do I hear her continuos attempts this time at Marvel.

I roll my eyes, slut.

I walk out into the hall and glance at the clock.

2:15

Shit, I'm 15 minutes late. You see, I'm not really going to the bathroom. Every day since the second or third week of school a few friends and I leave class, at different times each day, and go to our hideout.

I take the all to familiar route to the secret hall behind the stage. Its hidden behind the curtains and when you open it, it leads to a small closet. But one day I went looking around this closet for something for a teacher and I found a whole other door, leading to a small hallway that opens up to a room.

I hear chatter through the door as I walk down the narrow hall, and when I open the door I'm met with the smiling faces of my closest friends; Clove, Thresh, Finnick, Annie, Johanna, and most of all, Katniss.

Katniss... Out of everyone in this room she's the one I'm closest to, the one I love as much more than a friend, and I wish to be even closer to her. To take our friendship one step higher and become a couple, but of course I've been friend-zoned by her.

All heads turn and their eyes are on me as they hear me open the creaky door.

"Look who decided to show up," Clove smirks. I roll my eyes and walk towards the couch.

"Oh whatever, I was caught up in class." I say, taking a seat next to Katniss on the old and worn out couch we moved in here just after we discovered it.

When we found this room all that occupied it was an old stool and a few wooden chairs. The walls were all scratched and the paint was cracked. Yet we saw a lot of potential in this room, and we found a leather couch at Good Will as well as a few cushioned chairs and even a few bean bags. We all put in money and bought a TV, the school doesn't even know about it. Not to mention we have a pool table that flips into an Air Hockey table, the guys and I even made time to build a sort of bar. Of course it doesn't have beers, but it has a years supply of sodas in a mini fridge behind it. There are stools all along the bar counter. It's like the perfect hangout, aside from the fact it's at a school...

As far as I know, no teachers know this is even a room in this school. Believe it or not, we even come here over the weekends, this room is our hangout. How do we get in the school over the weekends? Cloves father is the principal at this school, so she took the keys and got them copied, giving us each our own key.

I lay back against the couch and wrap my arms around the back of it, one going behind Katniss and the other around no one but the cushion.

"God, Snows loading on the homework before Christmas break and it's killing me!" Finnick groans. Resulting in everyone bursting out in agreement.

I tune out and roll my head to the quiet girl next to me.

"Hey."

She turns her head to me and gives me a small smile. "Hey yourself."

"You ready for this day to be over yet?" I ask, giving her a crooked smile.

She heaves a heavy sigh and nods, "More than ever. I just want it to be Christmas vacation already. I don't understand teachers, it's the day before break and they give us homework instead of parties."

"Speaking of Christmas vacation, you still coming over after here school for the Christmas movie marathon?" I ask

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

I turn to everyone else and say a tad bit louder, "Are y'all all still coming back after school? For the movie marathon? After all today IS the last day before break."

They all nod, confirming their arrivals.

"Great, six sound good?" I ask.

They all nod and then Thresh speaks up.

"Who's bringing what? I guess I will bring the chips." He says, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I got the movies." I say.

"Drinks."

"Cups." Johanna says.

"Cheap ass." I mutter, making Katniss laugh.

"I guess I'll bring some candy or something." She says, and then she shifts so that she's laying with her head on the arm of the couch and her legs are placed across my lap. If this had been anyone else I would shove them off of me before they could even say "sorry." But she's the exception, she's the exception to a lot of things.

"Ugh, I really don't want to go back to Snows class. I want to nap instead." Katniss groans.

"No one does, brainless." Johanna pipes up.

They both have him right now, Thresh and Clove each have Trinket, Finnick and Annie have Coin, and I'm stuck all alone with Paylor. Thing is though, I have almost every other class with Katniss and many with the others.

"He hates me though, every class he glares at me. I've done nothing to him!" Katniss exclaims.

"He hates everyone." Thresh says. "Don't take it personally."

She sits up and removes her legs from on my lap and sets her feet on the floor. She moves so that she's sitting next to me like before and lays her head back against the couch like I'm doing.

"Cato, can you take me and Prim home?" She asks, turning her head to face my own. She's so close that if I moved forward only an inch our noses would be touching. Let's hope my breath is okay...

I smirk, "Nah, I'll leave you to walk home in the freezing rain outside. It's only a, what? Like half hour walk?"

She narrows her eyes and blows air in my face, making me close my eyes and scrunch my nose. Although her cool breath somehow warms my face. I open my eyes back up and I hear laughter bubbling from within her. Her eyes are gleaming and the angelic sound fills the air around us.

"Seriously though," she says, turning her head back to me after her laughter dies down.

I smile crookedly. "Katniss, when have I ever said no to you?"

She smiles back. "True." She looks at the clock on the wall and gets up with a sigh.

"Well, time for me to head back to class..." She mumbles while stretching.

"Oh come on, I just got here." I joke, pouting slightly.

She smiles and rolls her eyes at me. "well I've been in here for the past half hour, not my fault for your being late. I'll see you later."

I try my best to hide my disappointment as she exits our secret cove.

"Yeah... See you." I mutter, deflating as she leaves my sight.

As soon as she leaves, all the others turn to face me with a smirk.

"Still haven't told her I see." Clove says cockily.

I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest. "Told who what?"

"Oh come on Cato, you know who." Finnick says, swirling in his chair.

"Can't hide it for much longer." Johanna pipes up.

"You two would be the cutest you know," Annie says, and Finnick wraps his arms around her and pulls her into his lap.

"But not as cute as us two." He says, kissing her cheek.

"Though anyone can see you love her, it's not long until she finds out." Thresh says, and everyone else agrees.

Every day they tease me about it, and every day they try to convince me to admit my love to her. But I know she doesn't love me back, at least not the way I love her. I've been friend-zoned, can't they see that?

"Well, I've gotta get back to class. See you all tonight." I get up and begin to walk out of the room.

"You'll have to admit it eventually!" Johanna calls after me.

I ignore her and continue my walk back to class.

xxx

Katniss and Prim get into my 2015 red Jeep, Kat gets in the front with me and Prim gets in the back.

"Thanks again Cato." She says as I crank up the heat, it's only 10 degrees outside, 3 with the wind. So needless to say it's freezing.

"Yeah, thank you!" Prim says from the back.

I smile at the two of them and then look at Prim through the rear view mirror. "Of course, I wouldn't let my number one girl walk home in the freezing cold." I tease Prim, winking at her.

Katniss snorts and Prim blushes madly. When Katniss and I first met, aka when my life took a turn for the best, Prim developed a bit of a crush on me. I found it absolutely adorable. The crush wore off eventually when she got a boyfriend, but I still like to tease her about it.

"Cato, you had better watch out. Rory may just have to kick your ass for trying to steal his girl." Katniss warns, holding back her laughter.

I start to laugh myself.

"One time! One time he tried to fight Cato!" Prim whines from the back. "And in his defense Cato was totally flirting with me in front of him."

That only causes Katniss and I to laugh even louder.

"How could I not? There's just something about the Everdeen girls..." I say, looking at Prim but keeping Katniss in my peripheral vision.

Prim giggles and I give her another wink from the mirror. She sort of knows about my feelings to Katniss, she came to me one time and told me it is obvious. I didn't tell her too much about my feelings or why I don't ask Katniss out, I feel as if she's a tad bit too young to understand. I don't even really understand myself.

"Well, Rory has nothing on me. You keep that in mind if he ever does anything to you, you got that? I'll kill the twerp if he tries anything with you." I tell her, making her nod

"Rory wouldn't do anything like that though," she reassures me.

"Yeah, well if he does you he sure to tell me."

"And me," Katniss says. "But we've already had that talk..."

Prim nods and looks out the window, signifying the conversation is over.

I can't help it, I'm protective of her. She's like a sister to me, like family. And since I don't have any siblings of my own, I treat her just as I would treat my own kin.

"You just want to go straight to my house after we drop Prim off? No use in you going home for like one hour and then I come back and pick you up again." I ask Katniss.

"Sure," she replies, looking out the fogged up window.

We drop Prim off at her house and head to the store. It's about five now, so that means we have an hour to get food and get there. An hour with just Katniss...

"So... Where to go for candy and snacks and all that?"

"Shit!" Katniss exclaims all of the sudden, scaring me half to death.

I turn to her quickly, "What's the matter? Are you okay?"

She slams her head against the headrest and groans.

"I left my money back at my house." She mutters.

"It's not that big a deal, I'll buy all the snacks and candy. Don't worry about it." I say, relaxing and loosening my grip on the steering wheel.

"No, no let's just turn around-"

"Katniss, I'll pay. It's no big deal, I have more money than I need. You know that. Now, what store?" I ask, looking over at her and giving her a soft smile.

She sighs and thanks me, "Let's just go to Food Lion or Walmart or wherever."

We end up going to Walmart and we buy thirty dollars worth of candy and chips and sodas, I know everyone else is going to forget. I'm usually the one to buy the snacks.

I even bought the bowls, luckily Johanna is the one bringing the movies. Most will be horror, much to Katniss' disliking.

We get back into the car and decide to go straight to school to get the room set up, we are going to be the first ones there.

We arrive, no other cars are here. All the teachers already went home for break. Today was the last day of school before we welcomed Christmas break, and it seems everyone has already fled this hell hole.

I park and we get the grocery bags our snacks occupy before walking to the side door. I get out my key and unlock the door, we both go in and make our way to our secret hideout. So far we haven't found any other way in than through the janitors closet, and that closet is locked half the time. Thank god for Cloves dad being the principal...

I don't even think he knows this place exists, unless Clove told him.

Katniss opens the closet door and we walk down the short and narrow hallway until we come to the door leading into our hangout. I open the door for Katniss and walk in after her. I'll admit I steal a few glances at her butt, but I'm a teenage guy. Can you blame me? And Katniss has a nice body, she's beautiful inside and out. Actually beautiful can't even describe her level of beauty, not a single word could ever describe how breathtakingly gorgeous this girl is.

I shake my head and set my own bags down on the table and so does Katniss, we get out the bowls and empty each chip bag, candy bag, and snack bag into their own bowl. Katniss puts the sodas in the fridge and we sit down on the couch.

I get out my phone when I feel it vibrate and see texts from Thresh and Finnick.

"The guys are almost here," I inform Katniss who is lounging on the sofa/recliner.

She's checking her own phone that was a gift from my family to her for her birthday; an iPhone 5s.

She still doesn't fully know how to use it, and I find it quite adorable.

"Johanna, Annie, and Clove will be here in about five minutes." She tells me, setting her phone on the table.

I nod and text them back to tell them we are already here.

"So, is there anything going on between you and Glimmer...?" Katniss asks after a few moments of silence, shocking me and disgusting me.

I snap my head to her and shake it frantically. "Oh god no, who the hell told you that lie?" I ask in absolute disgust.

She looks down at her hands. "Marvel."

"And you believed him? The gossiping fool?" I ask in disbelief.

She shrugs, "I just wanted to hear it from you..." She trails off, her voice quiet.

"Oh..." I say, looking down at my own hands.

"Why?"

She bites her lip and her eyes dart around for a few seconds as if she's trying to figure out what to say. "I, uh, you're my best friend and I would have been hurt if you didn't tell me."

I nod once. "I tell you everything-"

"Exactly."

"And I can tell you now that I will never date Glimmer, not in a million years, not ever." I say firmly.

Katniss finally looks up at me and she looks... Relieved? She gives me a small smile. "Good."

"What about you and Gale?" I ask, looking down at her lips before gazing into her gray orbs once again.

She turns away. "Trust me, nothing is going on there. He's changed."

Gale was her best friend before me, they had bonded when both their fathers died during the same shooting. An idiot decided to rob a bank and shot both their fathers.

"We are barely even friends anymore, I'm much closer with you than I am with him." She says, looking back at me.

We are situated much like how we were earlier, our lips only inches apart.

"Good," I repeat quietly what she had said, making her smile.

"Where are your parents going to be over break?" She asks softly.

I look down, she knows this is a touchy subject for me. They are never home, they are basically rich. Which makes me rich, I guess. Katniss is really the only person I ever share my feelings about them with, she knows everything about me and I her.

"I think they are in London, or at least that's last I heard. And that was last week." I mumble.

Katniss sighs, "Did they say when they would be home?"

I shake my head and look back at her to see that she's giving me a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry, Cato."

I shrug, "It's whatever, that's the price they have to pay for being business owners I guess. They don't care."

I feel her small hand intertwine with my own and my heart soars.

"You know they care about you, they're your parents." She says softly yet firmly.

I look down at our hands and then back at her. "They have an odd way of showing it."

She searches my eyes for a moment and then sighs, letting the conversation die away. She lays her forehead on my shoulder for a moment before pulling her head back and resting it on the couch.

"What about your mom, how is she?" I ask quietly.

Katniss shakes her head bitterly. "Same as always, closed off to the world. She's gotten somewhat better now I guess, she can actually cook Prim a grilled cheese sandwich. But she isn't putting much money on the table."

I squeeze her hand for comfort like she had done for me.

"The landlord can only be but so kind. We have already missed four months rent, one more and I'm afraid we will be evicted." She says sadly, a heavy sigh escaping her. Leaving her looking hopeless and dejected.

"Things will get better." I reassure her, giving her hand another squeeze.

"I hope." She says more to herself than me.

Our eyes meet and I feel myself leaning in, unable to stop myself. I'm pretty sure she begins to lean in too, our eyes close and...

The secret rooms door bursts open and in walks our idiotic and loud friends.

"Catooooooo, Katnissssss!" Finnick calls.

We pull apart quickly and leave a few inches of room in between us as everyone walks into the room.

"We brought..." Finnick paused for effect then he pulls his hands out from behind his back. "Mc. Donald's!" He exclaims, throwing the giant bag on my lap.

I open it up and take everything out, handing everyone their 'meal.' Finnick sits next to me and Johanna sits in the middle of me and Katniss. Annie sits in Finnicks lap and Thresh goes on the other couch, Clove does the same.

"Alright, let's get this started. Cato, be a dear and get us all some drinks and start the movie." Clove says, giving me a sickly sweet smile.

I snort, "Get it yourself."

She narrows her eyes, yet everyone gets up to get there own crap. I get up and put a movie in, coming back and sitting closer to Katniss. Leaving no room for Johanna to sit in between us when she sits back down.

Johanna walks back to the couch and notices the fact that I moved. She gives me a smirk and goes to the other couch, sitting next to Clove and Thresh. Once everyone has their food and drinks, I start the first movie. It is called Hunger Games, and then after we are going to watch Catching Fire. I've never seen either but they are the girls favorite. Katniss has the M and M's in her lap, and my arm goes across the back of the couch around her. The movie starts and everyone gets situated. Our previous awkwardness is gone, thankfully, and Katniss lays her head on my should as always.

I take a handful of MnM's and my arm slides off the couch to rest softly on her shoulders. Smooth, I know. We always sit like this, mainly because I've been friend zoned and she thinks nothing of it.

Me on the other hand, well I think way too much of it.

My eyes flit around the room and I see Clove, Johanna, and Thresh each smirking at Katniss and I. Finnick and Annie are too wrapped up in each other to notice anyone else.

I roll my eyes at them and flip them the bird, making them chuckle.

I turn my head back to the movie and put up the recliner part of my seat. I put my legs up on it and Katniss' go on top of mine. Yeah, this couch happens to have built in recliners.

I look down at Katniss and she's grinning at me, I smile crookedly back and then direct my attention back to the movie.

After three movies, it's already twelve in the morning. But we aren't stopping, we still have six more movies to watch... Johanna puts in the next movie and it begins, I look down at Katniss next to me and see that she's sleeping. I chuckle and pull her body the smallest bit closer to my own.

"Cato and Katniss sitting in a tree, K I S S-" Finnick begins but I cut him off.

"You want to keep your balls? Then I suggest you shut the fuck up O'dair." I growl.

He turns back to the TV, not another word said from him.

Katniss moves against my side and buries her face in my shoulder to get more comfortable. My heart melts at the sighs, my arms firmly around her and she's buried into my side.

xxx

We finish the seventh movie and I look at my watch to see that it's 3 in the morning. I look around and see that everyone is asleep aside from me. I carefully remove my arm from around Katniss to get up, I don't want to buy I've been in the same position for the past seven movies and I've got to pee.

As I get up I hear Katniss yawn a small cat mewl and my heart melts even more for her. She seems to be looking for me, or at least for something to snuggle up to. She eventually settles for a couch pillow and I start to walk away. I hesitate though because she just looks so adorable and so _kissable_.

I have a small internal battle with myself for a few seconds. Eh, I guess my bladder can wait. I end up leaning down and delicately brush some hair out of her face, I press my lips gently to her forehead and put a lasting kiss atop it.

Her eyes slowly flutter open and I quickly jump back, acting as if I'm only stretching.

She slowly sits all the way up, stretching herself, and looks around with half lidded eyes.

"What time is it?" She asks, her voice hoarse with sleep.

That's a sound I wouldn't mind getting used to every morning, after we wake up together, snuggled into one another after a warm nights sleep.

I shake my head to rid the torturous thoughts, she wouldn't ever feel for me what I feel for her.

"Around three in the morning." I say softly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

She smiles softly, "It's okay, I'd rather be awake and talking to you." She whispers and then looks around. The room is an absolute mess, chips and pretzels are crushed all over the floor, soda cans litter the couches and floor, and the bowls are all empty. "Do you want help cleaning up?" She ask, slowly getting up.

"Uh, that would be nice..." I say, scratching my head while I look around. "Everyone else fell asleep about an hour ago..."

Katniss nods and begins to clean, I go to the bathroom quickly before helping her.

"I'll just vacuum this later, no use in waking everyone up." I say once we finish picking up all the cans and whatnot.

Katniss nods and then plops back down on the couch. Only now she looks like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. She has a troubled look in her gray depths and her eyebrows are knitted together as she chews on her bottom lip. It's all so suddle that no one else would be able to tell, but I can. I know her too well.

I sit down next to her and turn my head to her, my own eyebrows knitted together in concern for her. She's had a lot of stress these past few weeks with the mortgage on her house and everything else.

"Hey, is everything okay?" I ask softly.

She snaps out of whatever thoughts consumed her and looks at me, she tries to put her walls up but I've known her long enough to see right through them.

"Yeah, everything is fine." She's trying too hard to sound reassuring and failing miserably.

"Katniss, if there is one thing I've learned in the past 17 years, it's that when a girl says she's fine she means the exact opposite." I say with a chuckle, efficiently getting her to smile. It goes away as quickly as it came though.

"I just... My mom is doing all she can in her, erm, state of mind. But it's nowhere near enough. We already live in an apartment way to small, you know Prim and I share a room... And we may have to downgrade again. I'm doing all I can, but the restaurant I work for brings in but so much money. It's... It's just stressful." She says, with a deep and depressing sigh.

I frown and pull her into my arms for comfort and to reassure her. She melts into me and rests her head on my chest and wraps her arms around my waist. I wrap my own around her and hold her tight, just so that she knows I'm here for her.

"I'm sorry." I whisper.

She shakes her head against my chest. "No need to be, it's not your fault."

"That doesn't mean I shouldn't be sorry. It's not fair Katniss, you're an amazing person. You don't deserve the hand you've been dealt... You don't deserve all this stress."

She pulls back to look at me, we both smile gently.

"It's Prim I'm more worried about." She whispers.

I can't help but laugh, leaving Katniss very much confused.

"Can you stop being so damn selfless?" I ask, smiling down at her. I tower over her at 6'3, she's only 5'9.

She rolls her eyes. "I'm anything but."

Now it's my turn to roll my eyes. "Shut up."

She smiles slightly and looks down at the ground. She doesn't look up for some time and I wonder if she's fallen back asleep in my arms. Then I feel her small body slightly shake and my blood runs cold when she finally lifts her head.

She's crying.

I quickly lift my hand and wipe away her tears without thinking. As soon as I wipe them away more replace them, making my heart break over and over again. There's nothing worse than seeing the one you love breaking down and knowing there's almost nothing you can do to stop it.

I've never seen Katniss cry before, except for one time. It was her father's death anniversary, she hadn't come to school and I was worried so I drove to her apartment. When I got there the front door was unlocked, but she wouldn't answer the door. I walked in and went to her room to see her sitting in the corner with her knees tucked up. I remember running to her and immediately hugging her, only to get her salty tears all over my shirt. I stayed with her for the rest of that nightmarish day. It was hard for me, to see her crying and being able to do nothing to stop it.

I sigh and shake my head to snap back to reality. I shush her and pull her back to my chest, I keep one hand behind her head and I gently stroke her hair to calm her. After a few minutes her breathing goes back to normal and the tears on my shirt dry.

She pulls back and avoids eye contact before sniffling.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

I shake my head. "You can't take the stress of this all alone."

She doesn't reply to me. Simply hugs me tighter.

"Cato, I don't know what I would do without you. Truly I don't." She says.

"I don't either, you mean a lot to me you know. More than a lot to be honest."

"And you mean more than a lot to me too."

I don't respond for a few moments, should I tell her how I feel? Is this the right time?

Now or never, I guess.

I pull back so that I can look at her.

"When I say that though... I mean that I have feelings for you, more than a lot of feelings. I'm..." I pause and take a deep breath, I can't believe I'm doing this. "I'm in love with you Katniss. I have been since the first moment I saw you."

I was expecting her to stare at me for a few seconds and then let me down gently. Telling me that she sees me as a friend and a friend only. Or for her to laugh in my face because she thinks it's a joke, that I'm just messing with her. But what she does surprises me and joys me to no end.

She kisses me.

Holy shit. Katniss is kissing me.

I'm surprised for all of a half a second and then I'm kissing her back, pouring my feelings into the movement of my lips.

"I love you too." She whispers against my lips. "I always have, I honestly thought I was friendzoned."

I can't help but chuckle at the irony.

"I did too."

She laughs with me and I kiss her again, I kiss her and kiss her and kiss her until my lips are so swollen they hurt.

I can't help but think that this is a dream. I've dreamt about this before, every night. Only those dreams get a bit, erm, explicit.

I rest my forehead on hers while breathing heavily.

I can't believe everyone around us is still asleep.

Katniss heaves an adorable yawn and I sit back on the couch with her in my arms. I recline the chair again and she snuggles her head to fit under my chin. I take the blanket draped across the back of the couch and throw it over us. Her arms go around me and I put my own around her, willing this to be reality. I kiss her forehead and rest my lips atop her head, she quickly falls asleep. I'm soon to follow, being lulled to slumber by the soft snores coming from the angel in my arms. That night I dream of her as I always do, only this time the dreams are more realistic; the taste of her lips is implanted in my memory and the feel of them against mine as well, incorporated into each and every one of my dreams.

xxx

I hear faint voices around me and a weight on my chest with arms around my waist. I feel my own arms around a slim figure and a scent I recognize only as Katniss.

Images of last night, well really a few hours ago, flood through my mind.

"I told you it was going to happen soon!" A voice whispers loudly.

"And I didn't deny it." Another voice replies.

That sounds a lot like Finnick and Johanna...

"They are too cute!" That sounds a lot like Annie...

"Someone snag a phone and take a picture, I can't wait to use it against Cato. Put it all over Facebook 'big bad Cato gone soft'." That would be Clove...

I don't feel like fully waking up yet, mainly because I don't feel like listening to everyone, and because I want to lie here with Katniss forever. But alas I'm completely awoken from my blissful slumber. The only reason I give in to waking up is because I hear that adorable yawn and I feel Katniss move around. My arms instantly tighten around her.

"Aww look at that, Cato is protective of her." Thresh says, and I can hear his smirk as well as everyone else's.

I crack my eyes open and look around to see them all hovering over us. I avert my eyes to Katniss and see that she looks confused. She looks at me and I smile, she smiles too. Her sleep filled eyes slowly waking with the rest of her.

"I thought it was a dream," she whispers.

I chuckle and kiss her softly, "I did too, I'm glad it isn't."

I hear awes around us, some sarcastic and some real.

I look up and glare at Johanna, Clove, and Finnick. The three who were awing sarcastically. They give me innocent smiles and I roll my eyes, looking back at Katniss. We just smile at each other like the drunk fools we are, drunk in love, that is.

"I say we go buy some breakfast." Thresh says, clapping his hands and walking away.

The others all follow him but I barely notice, I seem to have gotten lost; lost in Katniss' eyes, as cheesy as it is.

"Soo, what does this mean?" She asks, toying with the collar of my shirt.

I tilt my head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"Are we together or still friends or what?" She asks shyly. "I don't date often."

I chuckle somewhat nervously, "I don't either, but... I guess we are together. Here, let me ask you formally. Katniss Everdeen, will you make me the luckiest guy in the whole school, scratch that, the entire world, and be my girlfriend?"

She smiles softly and then brushes back some of my hair, "When have I ever said no to you?"

I chuckle, what better way than to seal the deal with a kiss?

* * *

><p><span><em>"Be Your Everything" Boys Like Girls<em>

_"Four, letter word._

_ But I don't have the guts to say it._

_Smile, till it hurts._

_Lets not make it complicated._

_We, got a story._

_But I'm about to change the ending._

_You're, perfect for me._

_And more than just a friend so we can just stop pretending._

_Now, I gotta let you know somehow..._

**_I'll be your shelter,_**

**_I'll be your storm._**

**_I'll make you shiver,_**

**_I'll keep you warm._**

**_Whatever weather,_**

**_Baby I'm yours._**

**_Be your forever, be your fling._**

**_Baby I will be you everything._**

_We used to say ,_

_that we would always stick together._

_But, who's to say?_

_If we could never last forever._

_Girl, got a question._

_Could you see yourself with somebody else?_

_Cause I'm on a mission,_

_And I don't wanna share I want you all to myself._

_Right now, I just wanna scream it out!_

**_I'll be your shelter,_**

**_I'll be your storm._**

**_I'll make you shiver,_**

**_I'll keep you warm._**

**_Whatever weather,_**

**_Baby I'm yours._**

**_Be your forever, be your fling._**

**_Baby I will be your everything. ;)_**

_No matter what you do,_

_Yeah,_

_I'll be there for you._

_And every time you close your eyes,_

_I will be by your side._

_Cause every time you make me sing,_

_Baby I will be your everything._

**_I'll be your shelter,_**

**_I'll be your storm._**

**_I'll make you shiver,_**

**_I'll keep you warm._**

**_Whatever weather,_**

**_Baby I'm yours._**

**_Be you forever, be your fling._**

**_Baby I will be your everything."_**

* * *

><p><strong>Done!<strong>

**Last chapter I only got about 3 reviews, so please leave more on this chapter! Because I love, love, love to hear what y'all have to say about my story! So don't forget to leave your thoughts in the reviews, thank you for reading!**

** 'The Bachelorette' will be updated within the next week! I already had this story made, so I went ahead and uploaded it... I'm still working on the next chapter for 'The Bachelorette'. Thanks for being so patient!**


	5. Finniss

_**"The best feeling in the world is knowing you mean something to someone, knowing someone wants and needs you."**_

_**Finniss**_

* * *

><p>I hear the argument just outside my door, it's one I've heard almost every night from many families. Then I see my door crack open, light from the hall pooling in as my foster parents enter the dark room.<p>

Rose, my foster mother, has no emotion in her eyes. As always. And Jeff, well he looks the smallest bit sympathetic as Rose tells me what I already know.

I'm being kicked out, they don't want me anymore. I'm not surprised really, but this is the shortest time I've ever spent with a foster family. Setting the record at only four days.

Rose already called Haymitch, my social worker. He's coming in the morning to take me back to the foster center until I can find another family. When I do, it will be the eleventh this year. And then when they decide to dump me, I'll just go right back into this never ending cycle.

This is a common tale for me. I've been in foster care since I was only eleven for reasons I don't want to tell. The memories are just too painful to relive again. I relive them often enough when I close my eyes and they invade my dreams. No family has ever cared about me, the longest I've stayed in a foster home was four months. Even then the family made no attempt at getting to know me. They didn't try to understand why I always locked myself in my room, or why I rarely talked, or even why I woke up screaming in the dead of the night.

That was my first foster family. Everything has only gone downhill from there. I don't really want to be adopted though, I don't want any other family to replace the one that was torn away from me. Ripped out of my hands just to be placed into those of God.

I don't sleep at all tonight, instead I quietly listen to my music on the IPod shuffle Haymitch bought a few years back, my fourteenth birthday to be exact. That was two years ago. Since then I've been to at least twenty five different families, all ending up the same way; they all end up dumping me.

I wait patiently for Haymitch to take me back to the only place I feel somewhat comfortable- the foster care center where I've spent the majority of my time over the past five years. There are a few other kids that live there as well, but they are all young. Around the ages of 10 and 11, the ones who people fight to adopt.

Before I know it I'm back in the car with Haymitch, my backpack filled with my limited belongings. Including my dad's old guitar, the only thing I have left of the only family I'll ever truly belong to.

"I'm sorry, I honestly thought this was the family." He says as we drive away from just another place I could have called home.

I shake my head, "You always say that."

"I know, but one of these days I'm going to be right." He states confidently.

I snort, "Maybe, but none of these families really care about me. None of them actually want me. After all, who the hell wants a sixteen year old teenage girl with minor depression?"

He sighs deeply, "Someone will, we just have to find them."

I hope he's right, but part of me knows he's wrong. I don't think I'll ever find a family I'm compatible with, there's only one family for me and they are gone.

But you know, I actually like being alone. It gives me time to think, maybe too much time, but time nonetheless. It gives me time to listen to new music, to practice my father's old guitar... Gives me time to be at peace with the world, where I don't have to worry about when I'll be kicked out.

I only ever feel at peace when I'm playing that guitar, when I'm making the melodic rhythms he used to play and even a few of my own. Though I never play when I go to a new home, it... It just doesn't feel right to be playing his guitar in the home of another.

xxx

I end up staying at the foster center for another two months, giving me plenty of time to write new songs and work on my old ones.

I'm strumming the guitar randomly when Haymitch enters my room, a solemn look on his aging face.

"Katniss... Look, I know you hate all these families I've been sending you to."

I nod, waiting for him to continue.

"And... I won't be doing that anymore." He states, perking my interest. He seems saddened as he tells me. "There's a house, about four hours from here, that takes the kids who don't get adopted. It's boys and girls, and 7 other teenagers live there. Most move out at eighteen and most who aren't quite eighteen have jobs. If you want to go there, I can make that arrangement." He says, sitting down on my bed.

Haymitch happens to be the only person I'm somewhat close to, he's the only one who actually knows what happened to my family. It's not like we talk about my feelings or anything like that, but... He's tried to find me a better life many a time. He's never given up on me.

I ponder over what he says, and I must say it sparked my interest.

"How come I've never heard of this before now?" I ask skeptically.

"Because I really thought I could find you a decent home, no... Not a decent home. The perfect home. Now, not so much. I've been to almost everyone around here looking to adopt. And sweetheart, no ones interested. I'm sorry."

I don't cry at his words, nor do I yell at the top of my lungs in anger and frustration. Much to his dismay and my own, I smile. I don't feel remorse or depression seeping into the depths of my soul, I only feel joy and relief.

"So... I can go to a permanent place? No more going into foster homes?" I clarify.

Haymitch nods.

"So you want to go?" He asks slowly.

"More than anything."

Finally I will be done with all this moving back and forth. The home hopping, the family switching, the bed jumping. I'll stay in one place, and better yet I won't have anyone try to replace the family I'll never truly leave.

xxx

Within two weeks I'm packing up the little belongings I own and I'm on the road with Haymitch. It's a bittersweet trip, I'm more than happy that I am finally leaving the foster system, but leaving the system means leaving Haymitch. He's the only constant I've had in the past five years. While everything around me has been changing, he's always stayed the same.

He's somewhat like family, the only person to even come close to that word since I was thrown into the world of foster care. And leaving him will be hard, in a way I guess you could say I love him. Like an uncle or like a close family friend.

"This is what you want, right?" He asks.

I turn my head to face him and see him staring intently at the road.

"I don't feel like entering a home just to be kicked out the exit little time later anymore, so yes. This is what I want." I say, and when I do I see his eyes soften.

"I'm sorry your life has been the way it has, Katniss." He mumbles, looking at me as he says it before his eyes focus back on the long black road ahead of us that stretches for miles upon miles. The road taking me to my new, permanent home. "I wish I could have found you the perfect home, I really do."

I smile slightly, "Thank you, and I want to thank you for trying to find me a family, I know it's been tough. Hell, when I first met you, you didn't have a gray hair on you. And now, well I don't think you have a blonde hair on you. I can only imagine the stress I've been putting you under."

He chuckles, "Don't mention it."

The rest of the ride is quiet, and once I arrive we barely say goodbye. All I do is hug him, because I'm going to miss the old fool.

I'm not one for affectionate gestures and neither is he, so the hug is awkward and strange. Once we pull apart he gets back into his car and drives off, and I think he even had a few tears welling up in his tired eyes.

With my small suitcase of belongings, I make my way into my new home. I'm immediately face to face with a women who seems to be in her late thirties or early forties. She has more make up than I've ever seen on anyone, and her eyes shine with joy.

"You must be Katniss! It's so nice to meet you, I'm Effie, I run this household, just set your stuff down right here and come into the living room to meet everyone else." She doesn't even give me time to say hello before she's dragging me into the living room. I manage to carefully set my guitar case down, but I have to practically throw my suitcase on the floor as I'm whisked away.

Once I enter, I'm met with the faces of three boys and three girls. They are all chatting amongst themselves, but when Effie and I enter their heads turn to me and they go silent.

"Oh good we are all her- wait. Where in the world is Johanna?" Effie asks with a stressed sigh.

"Right behind you," a voice says behind us, causing the two of us to turn around to be facing who I assume is Johanna.

She goes and sits down, smirking at me.

"Everyone, this is Katniss. She will be staying with us." Effie introduces me.

I give an awkward wave as they each mumble a hello.

"Now, I would like for each of you to say your name and something about you so that Katniss can get to know you." Effie says, telling me to take a seat across from them all.

"Thresh, darling, let's start with you." She says, gingerly sitting next to me and crossing her legs in a ladylike manner.

I turn to the large dark skinned boy sitting across the room.

"I'm Thresh, and I've been here for six months. Something about me? I'm seventeen and I like to box." He says, his voice deeper than any voice I've heard before.

Then the girl next to him goes, she has dark hair and freckles covering her face. She seems no older than 15...

"I'm Clove, 15, been here for three months, and I like to throw knives. Which is why no family wanted me." She mutters, sinking back into the couch.

"I'm Glimmer, I'm seventeen and I'll be eighteen in only two months. I've been here for a year and I absolutely love shopping!" A bouncy blonde girl says.

"I'm Marvel, sixteen, been here for two years... And I like to read." A brown hair green eyes boy says, giving me a smile.

"I'm Delly, sixteen as well, been here since I was only thirteen, and I like to read as well." A quiet girl says next to Marvel, she seems shy as well. Keeping her eyes locked on her hands as she spoke.

"I'm Johanna, I'm seventeen and I've been here for about two years. Something about me? I don't really think you give a shit." The girl who came in late said, still smirking at me. "Oh, and welcome to hell."

"You mean I'm just _now_ arriving?" I mumble, but apparently they heard because Johanna begins to laugh like a maniac.

"She's funny, let's keep her." She says.

I turn my head to the last boy in the room, and when I do my eyes meet a pair of sea green orbs that are staring straight at me. The whole time I've been here he's been scowling, not necessarily at me, but in general.

"I'm Finnick. Sixteen, and I've been here only a month. There's nothing about me worth saying." He says quietly, his eyes leaving mine only once he finishes.

"Okay, now Katniss it's your turn." Effie says, clapping her peppy hands and turning to me.

I cringe, I don't like being the center of attention.

"Uh... I'm Katniss, in case you haven't heard Effie, I'm sixteen and I've been here for... Ten minutes. Something about me? I don't know, I play the guitar sometimes." I say, not looking at any of their faces.

I hear a few of them laugh, and I look up to see them smiling at me. I even see Finnick's lips quirk up in the slightest. After that everyone is excused to go do whatever they like, and I'm shown to my room. I'm sharing one with Johanna, luckily she seems to like me.

I set my stuff on my bed and unpack what I have. Taking out four shirts, two pairs of pants, two pairs of socks, and only three pairs of underwear. Johanna gives me the dresser, since she uses the closet, and I put everything away. I set my guitar case down in the corner where my bed is and I take out my song book.

"Dinner is almost ready by the way, so come on down." She says, and I follow her down the steps. "Here we take turns making dinner, last night was Marvel and Glimmer, tonight it's you and me."

I nod and we enter the dining room where everyone is already ready. I take my seat next to Johanna and Effie makes us say grace. Something my family used to do.

All throughout dinner I felt a pair of eyes on me, sending warmth throughout my body. But every time I looked up to see who they belonged to, the feeling vanished. I would look at everyone to see that none of their eyes were focused on me, but on their meal. Once dinner ended, I helped clean up with Johanna. She sure could talk, I bet she could talk paint off a wall. I stayed quiet most of the time.

When we finish I go back upstairs into our room, she stays downstairs to watch TV. I sit on my bed with my songbook and pencil, but I feel too... Stuffed. This room is definitely not made for two people and with the two beds in here, it feels too tight.

I look around the enclosed space and my eyes land on a cracked open window. I walk up to it with my songbook in hand and look out to see that it leads to the roof facing the backyard. The backyard consists of open land, an open field that eventually leads to a forest.

I can't help but smile; this is perfect.

I open the window all the way and take out the screen before making my way onto the roof. I get situated and open my song book back up as I soak in the tranquility of it out here. Then I hear a cough to my left that scares me half to death and nearly makes me drop my book

I whip my head to my side to see none other than Finnick sitting about five feet away.

He's looking at me with his eyes slightly narrowed, I can't tell if it's in anger or wonder.

"What are you doing out here?" He finally asks me, his voice guarded like his eyes.

I shrug and look down at my beaten book, "it was stuffy in my room, so I decided to come out here." I mumble, slightly embarrassed.

"No one else comes out here but me," he doesn't say it as a way of defending what's his. No, he says it more as a statement.

I look back at him, "Well, not anymore."

His lips quirk up in the slightest. "I guess not."

"So, do any of the other rooms lead to this part of the roof?" I ask, looking out at the field.

"No, just mine and Johanna's. Which is yours too now, I guess. She never comes out here though, I don't even think anyone knows I come out here." He says, and I turn to look at him to see he's looking at the meadow in front of us.

I nod even though he can't see me. He doesn't say anything else and I got my question answered, so I go back to my song book and mess around with one of my first songs. I change around some notes and fiddle with the lyrics.

"What are you doing?" Finnick asks after a short while.

"Nothing," I mutter, I haven't let anyone seen this book before and I don't plan an it any time soon.

That conversation dies pretty quickly, but I can't help it. I'm not trying to be rude, I just truly don't know how to carry out a conversation with anyone. I've never had anyone to talk to, really.

I go back to my book, but I find that I want to keep talking to Finnick.

"Why do you come out here?" I ask quietly, turning to look at him. He looks over at me and shrugs.

"To get away I guess, I don't know really. I just... do."

"Oh." I say, ready to let yet another conversation whither away.

"Maybe it's to get away from the obnoxiously loud and nasally voice of Effie," he suggests, causing me to let out a small laugh. First laugh I've had in who knows how long.

"That seems reasonable," I comment, and see that he's smiling slightly. I must say he looks good with a smile.

For the next few weeks that becomes my routine. I hang out downstairs with the others but rarely join their conversations. I usually just listen like Finnick. Then once dinner ends I go upstairs, grab my songbook and a pencil, and go out onto the roof. Every day I see Finnick out here as well. And every day we make small talk, we become friends. Today when I come outside he's sitting there waiting, and he smiles as I step out onto the roof.

I start to write in my songbook as always and he begins a conversation.

"You always have that thing when we come out here, what is it?" He asks, looking at me and then the book.

I shrug, "It's nothing."

"Bullshit." He says, next thing I know he's sitting right next to me and is trying to read my book.

I quickly close it and he grumbles.

"I think it's more than nothing," he says.

I look at him and see that he's sitting only a few inches away.

"I think it's none of your business," I retort.

He lets out a puff of air and looks ahead to the open field.

"Is it an art book?" He asks.

I snort, "No, I can't draw worth a shit."

He chuckles, "Okay, so not an artist... Is it a novel you're writing?"

I shake my head.

"Hmm, so you aren't an author..." He says, and then narrows his eyes in thought. "A diary?"

"Hell no."

He smiles, "I didn't think so... Let me see here." He says then purses his lips while the gears in his head slowly turn. "Ah ha! When you first came you said you played the guitar. To play the guitar you need to know songs, it's a songbook!"

I snap my head to look at him. "How the hell-"

He chuckles, "I guessed right, now I get to read it."

I arch an eyebrow, "Says who?"

He grins, "Says me."

I roll my eyes, "No, it isn't something I share with people."

He slumps forward, "Alright fine. But will you show it to me someday?"

I look down at my feet, "Maybe, but don't bet on it."

I feel his eyes on me, but I don't look at him. I keep my eyes on the meadow ahead, letting the silence stay.

Then I feel a soft hand tracing my hairline, causing me to gasp.

I look at Finnick to see him staring intently at my forehead.

"You have a scar... How did you get it?" He asks quietly, running his thumb over it gently, sending shivers up my spine, before letting his hand fall back to his side.

I look away in surprise, no one has ever bothered to ask me about the scar. I know it's visible, it's not small.

"Car crash," I say, leaving it at that.

"Oh... I'm sorry." He says. I nod, but I don't say anymore. Even saying what had happened results in the flashbacks flooding my mind, like a tsunami of painful memories. Hitting me one scene after the other.

"Can I ask you a question?" He asks after a few moments of absolute silence.

"You just did." I say, trying to joke to lighten the damp mood. I succeed, somewhat, and his lips lift slightly.

"I'll take that as a yes." He says, causing us both to chuckle lightly. "Why were you put into the foster care system?"

My eyebrows knit together and I bite my lip, this is the first time I've ever been asked this question. And somehow I know that Finnick knows the car crash is a big factor...

I look at him and see only curiosity in his sea green eyes, no red flags. So I tell him; instead of keeping my flashbacks in, I narrate what I'm seeing behind my eyes.

"The car crash..." I begin the horrific story that awakens me night after night, as I tell it I close my eyes so the scene is more vivid. So that I can explain it more thoroughly for him, let him know the true terrors of it.

"I was eleven. My mother, father, sister, and I were headed to an ice skating rink to teach my sister how it's done. Then out of nowhere a drunk driver appeared and he slammed into our car, causing us to spin out and immense pain to be knocked into all of us. The drunk fool had hit my dads side of the car, the sound of glass breaking was heart stopping, and if that wasn't enough, we then hit a tree. Head on-" I take a deep breath to hold back the tears threatening to spill over. "-that killed my father instantly. His blood going everywhere from the damn glass, the tree only added to that deadly impact. I remember my mother screaming his name, that's all I could hear. Her ear piercing screams, my sisters whimpers, the sirens in the distance that were already much too late." I pause and shut my eyes tighter, the image getting too familiar and too real. I take a shaky breath and say something else. "My parents, they loved each other very much. More than any couple I've ever seen, and you could always tell by looking in their eyes. Nothing but love shown in them. Even if my mother had lived, I don't think she ever would have been the same without my father.

"When the screams died down, I saw that my mother and sister were both knocked unconscious, me soon to follow, and we were rushed to the hospital in a bloody mess. Our once blue car was then red, not because of a paint change, but because of all the blood spilled from our bodies. I woke up three days later only to be informed my mother died on the operating table, and my sister died on the way to the hospital." I conclude, silent tears streaming down my face. Dripping one after the other onto the roof.

I've never spoken this story aloud, though I relive it every night, and it's harder than I even imagined it to be.

"I woke up a damn orphan, nothing hurt worse than that. The more intense pain wasn't from all the cuts I endured from the crash, no, it was from my broken heart, shattered into a million little pieces as their lives were taken away. My father, the man I looked up to. The best father I've ever known, the most loving father, the most encouraging father. And he was gone. My mother, my sweet, dear mother. Who was always there for me, no matter what. The one who would stay up late with me to talk about nothing at all. Ripped out of my life in a second. My little sister, my innocent little sister, the one I swore to protect at all costs. Torn from me, but... never torn from my heart." I pause, and take another deep breath. My tears flowing freely, I don't have the strength to hold them back any longer.

"I know what you're thinking, 'don't you have other family?' Well I did, but they didn't want me. Can you believe it? My own goddamn family didn't even want me, I'm too much a reminder of their dead brother or dead sister, dead son or dead daughter. So I was thrown at Haymitch, my social worker. And that's when the torturous routine of being a foster child began." I end, sniffling and hiccuping from my tears.

Finnick doesn't say anything, I think he's too shocked. But I do feel his warm hand on my cheek and his feathery light fingers brush away my tears. Only to have more replace them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," he finally whispers after a few moments of silence.

I shake my head and do all I can to bring my tears to a halt. "It's okay. How could you know?"

He traces his thumb over my scar once more, his eyes focused on it with his eyebrows knitted together. Only now, his eyes are guarded like that first day I met him.

"I have another question..." He says, removing his hand and looking back at the golden field to the setting sun.

"Go on," I say, leaning my head on his shoulder. I don't know why I do, it just felt natural and it makes me feel a tad bit more comforted.

He tenses for a second before relaxing, and he even places a hesitant arm around my shoulders. When he does, I feel something bubbling within my chest. An emotion I'm not very familiar with...

"What made you come here? To get out of the foster system?" He asks me softly.

"I was tired. Tired of the foster system, tired of feeling like a library book; being taken by family after family only to be returned a short while later. No one cared about me, and I just wanted to be alone. Besides, no family will ever replace mine. So when Haymitch offered for me to come here, I took it as soon as I could." I say. I feel something on my hand, and look down to see my fingers intertwined with Finnick's. I guess he did that while I was rambling.

I don't remove my hand.

Finnick doesn't speak, and I assume he's digesting all the information I just unloaded onto him.

"What about you?" I ask. "Why did you get into the foster system? Why did you come here?"

He prepares himself for his own speech. "Well... My so called family is out there somewhere. You see, when I was two, they decided they didn't want me anymore. They abandoned me, left me to die. Literally. The damn police found me next to a dumpster and turned me over to a foster care worker. Technically my original name may not even be Finnick, my poor excuses for parents could have named me Dominic." He tells me, his voice cracking and sounding so... so _broken_. I can tell he's never given his story before either. My heart breaks for him, he didn't deserve that.

I squeeze his hand to give him some sort of comfort. He squeezes it back before continuing on.

"I just can't wrap my head around the fact my own family, my own blood, would leave me for death..." He looks down at the rough material of roof and shakes his head, disgusted with the fact. He then lifts his head and stares back at the meadow coldly. "I found out that's how I ended up in foster care when I was seven. And ever since then, I didn't trust any family. I don't trust any families. Then just two months ago my social worker was done with me and dumped me here. I've been through four social workers, this one lasted the shortest. But I'm actually glad he took me here." He concludes.

I look up at him and see his own silent tears running down his face to his chin and dropping onto the roof.

I let go of his hand and lift my own to wipe them away, his eyes meet mine and I see the sadness lurking within them. As well as another emotion. Something deeper, something greater.

"I'm sorry..." I whisper sadly, my heart breaking for him.

"It's not your fault..." He forces a smile. "You know you're the only person ever to ask me about that." He tells me.

"And same to you for me."

For some reason, I want to reassure Finnick, tell him that I won't leave him. He's my first ever friend, and I feel a lot towards him. I don't want to loose him.

"Finnick, I won't leave you, not like your family did. I'm here to stay, friends forever." I say firmly, making the sadness in his eyes slowly fades away, leaving the other emotion to fully surface.

He smiles and nods, taking my hand once more. "Forever and always."

Although now I'm realizing I think I want to be more than friends with him.

I look out at the sunset happening over the far away woods and rest my head back on his broad shoulder. He lays his head on top of mine and pulls me the smallest bit closer, leaving his arm more firmly around my shoulders providing me with the utmost warmth.

That emotion in his eyes... I recognize it from somewhere. I've seen it before, many times, I just can't remember where.

xxx

The next day when I come out, he comes and sits close to me.

"Hi," he says.

I smile, "Hey."

"Still have that darn book, I see." He comments.

I grin, "I do."

"Still not going to let me see it?"

I nod, "Bingo."

He sighs and turns to look at the golden field. "You know, you said you sometimes play the guitar. Yet I've never heard you play it once, I think you're bluffing." He pokes fun at me, making me nudge his shoulder.

"I do too play the guitar," I retort playfully.

"And you get your songs from this very songbook I presume, yes?" He asks, taking it from my lap. He doesn't open it though, instead looks at me as if to ask if it's okay.

I nod, and he looks surprised. I'm surprised myself, I just gave him permission to read something that is the equivalent to a top secret FBI data chart, in my eyes at least. He opens it up and begins reading the lyrics I've written over the past five years. I watch his reactions while I nervously nibble on my bottom lip. No one's ever read my songbook before.

His eyes light up as he reads the lyrics, and they darken, they tear, and they glow. He has all the reactions I had while writing each and every word.

"Katniss... Did you write all these?" He asks, turning to me in wonder and amazement.

I nod sheepishly.

"That's amazing, these songs are genius! They're so true and-" he exclaims reading through a few more. Then he stops and narrows his eyes.

"No one needs me," he echoes one of the lines of a song I wrote just after coming here.

He slowly looks back at me and he looks almost pained.

"That's not true," he whispers. "I do. I need you."

My heart skips a beat at his words, I don't know how to respond. I avert my eyes to the songbook and swallow.

"I could, erm, play them for you. If you want," I offer, something I never, ever do. Something I've never even thought of doing. As far as I know no one has actually heard me play the guitar, except maybe Haymitch.

His eyes brighten back up, "I would love that."

I get up and carefully make my way back inside to get my guitar. I pick up the case and set it on my bed carefully, I open it up and once I do a smile instantly forms on my lips.

It's been so long since I've played it... I run my fingers along it, the only thing I have left of my deceased family.

I take it in carefully in my hands and walk back to the roof, I very gently lay my guitar out there before squeezing my way through the window. I pick it up and sit back down by Finnick who's eyes are bright with excitement.

"Do you have a preference?" I ask, getting the guitar situated on my lap.

He shakes his head.

I open up my songbook and look through it, then a song I wrote just after the crash comes to mind. I quickly flip to it and read over it, obviously I've revised it over the years to make it good enough to play and sing.

Here goes nothing...

(Untitled, Simple Plan. But for the sake of this story we will say she wrote this song.)

_"I open my eyes,_

_I try to see but I'm blinded by the white light._

_I can't remember how_

_I can't remember why, I'm lying here tonight._

_And I can't stand the pain,_

_And I can't make it go away._

_No I can't stand the pain..._

_How could this happen to me?_

_I've made my mistakes,_

_Got nowhere to run!_

_The night goes on as I'm fading away._

_I'm sick of this life,_

_I just wanna scream!_

_How could this happen to me?"_

Of course I'm beginning to tear up, but I push the tears and sobs back down. I need to finish this song.

_"Everybody's screaming,_

_I try to make a sound but no one hears me._

_I'm slipping off the edge,_

_I'm hanging by a thread!_

_I wanna start this over again..._

_So I try to hold,_

_Onto a time when nothing mattered._

_And i can't explained what happened._

_And I can't erase the things that I've done._

_No I can't..._

_How could this happen to me?_

_I've made my mistakes!_

_Got nowhere to run,_

_The night goes on as I'm fading away._

_I'm sick of this life, I just wanna scream!_

_How could this happen to me?"_

I get lost in the song, lost in the way the guitar sounds, lost in my memories. Right now, I'm alone. It's just me on this roof singing my heart out, it's been _so_ long since I have...

_"I've made my mistakes!_

_Got nowhere to run._

_The night goes on as I'm fading away!_

_I'm sick of this life,_

_I just wanna scream!_

_How could this happen to me?"_

Once I finish, I have tears flooding my eyes but I refuse to let them fall. My eyes are focused on the stretched out land ahead.

"Katniss..." Only when I hear Finnick's smooth, deep voice do I remove my eyes from the field to look at him. He has tears in his own eyes. "That was beautiful, you're beautiful."

I blush and look down, but he's not finished.

"Everything about you is beautiful; your eyes, your nose, your smile, your lips, your dimples, your hair, your personality, your body, your creative mind, your laugh; every goddamn thing." He whispers.

I'm taken by surprise, no one has ever said these things to me before.

"Finnick..." I trail off because I really don't know what to say.

"That song was amazing, and your voice... Oh my god, it was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. Like that of an Angels." He says, lifting a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear and rests his hand gently on my cheek.

"Katniss, what I feel around you is something I've never felt around anyone else before. I get this weird tingly feeling in the pit of my stomach. My mood is always bright when you're around, I'm only ever glum when you leave. When you are sad my heart shatters into a million pieces and all I want to do is wrap you in my arms and never let you go... And I find that I want to talk to you and be with you twenty four-seven, and when we do talk my mind travels into thoughts of your lips on my own. I even freaking dream about you Katniss. You're the only person who's bothered to get to know me, and you're the only person who actually seems to care."

He pauses and takes a breath.

"What I'm trying to say is that I've fallen for you, hard and fast. I'm... I'm in love with you." He concludes, giving me no time to react before his lips are on my own.

I'm surprised for a few seconds, this is my first kiss after all. I kiss him back nonetheless.

This is when I realize that the emotion I always see in his eyes is love. It's the same way my parents used to look at each other, the same love and adoration their eyes held, ours hold now.

Both his hands are placed softly on my cheeks, but he drops one hand to my waist to pull me closer. I hesitantly place my arms around his torso as our lips move in sync. I never want to pull away, I want to stay in this moment forever. Of course I do end up pulling away for the need to breathe. But as I do a smile is instantly on both of our swollen lips as he rests his forehead against my own.

"Yeah, even better than I could have imagined." He whispers, making me blush and laugh slightly.

"You know, I think I've fallen for you as well... I think I'm in love with you, too." I say, looking down to avoid his eyes.

As soon as I say what I do, his lips are back on mine, and this time I don't hesitate to kiss him back.

xxx

I sit down with my guitar in hand and Finnick's arm goes around my waist. I've been here for almost a year now, and I've been with Finnick for eight months. I've even gotten closer with the others, Glimmer left a few months ago but she still comes back to visit us.

Finnick convinced me to start playing my guitar for everyone in the house. So here I am, sitting next to him out in the back field while we have a bonfire. The others are all gathered around, eyes lit up by the fire as they smile at me.

"This is a new song, so I may mess up." I say sheepishly.

Johanna rolls her eyes, "Even if you did it would be amazing, now come on!"

I laugh and so do the others. Finnick kisses my temple and lets his lips linger before I begin. (This is Little Wonders, Rob Thomas, but again, let's say she wrote it for the sake of the story.)

_"Let it go,_

_let it roll right off your shoulder._

_Don't you know,_

_the hardest part is over._

_Let it in,_

_let your clarity define you._

_In the end,_

_we will only just remember how it feels._

_Our lives are made,_

_in these small hours._

_These little wonders,_

_these twists and turns of fate._

_Time falls away,_

_but these small hours,_

_these small hours still remain."_

I smile at everyone who are slowly swaying, I look at Finnick who's smiling warmly down at me. He kisses my lips quickly and I begin to sing again.

_"Let it slide,_

_let your troubles fall behind you._

_Let it shine,_

_until you feel it all around you._

_And I don't mind,_

_if it's me you need to turn to._

_We'll get by,_

_it's the heart that really matters in the end._

_Our lives are made,_

_in these small hours._

_These little wonders,_

_these twists and turns of fate._

_Time falls away,_

_but these small hours,_

_these small hours still remain._

_All of my regret,_

_will wash away somehow._

_But I can not forget,_

_the way I feel right now._

_In these small hours,_

_these little wonders._

_These twists and turns of fate,_

_these twists and turns of fate._

_Time falls way,_

_but these small hours,_

_these small hours still remain._

_Still remain._

_These little wonders,_

_these twists and turns of fate._

_Time falls away,_

_but these small hours,_

_these small hours still remain."_

I end the song and the others all clap, making me blush. I'm still new to the whole preforming in front of other people thing...

"That was superb, as always," Finnick whispers in my ear. He kisses it before pulling his head back.

It turns out we turn eighteen in the same month, and just last night Finnick asked me to move in with him once we turn eighteen. Once we move away from this place and start a life of our own.

Of course I agreed, I've already come to the conclusion I want to be with him forever.

Forever and always.

* * *

><p><strong>Honestly, I think this one was my favorite! What do y'all think? Did you like this one as much as I did?<strong>


	6. Everlark 2

_"We accept the love we think we deserve."_

**_Everlark_**

**_(Peeta is a little OOC)_**

* * *

><p>I walk to my locker after a rough night at home. It's my senior year of high school and its supposed to be my best year yet. But it's not, it's the same as every other year. Nothing special is happening in my life, but then again when is anything ever?<p>

The only interesting thing about me is that I have an abusive father and a mother who doesn't give a damn and still loves my abuser. They love each other, but they both hate me. Last night wasn't so bad, all my dad did was slap me a few times before sending me off to bed. I've had much, much worse. So that was almost nothing...

Although he did step up the verbal abuse, all my life he's called me worthless. A whore, a slut, a bitch, and any other word you could think of. He says I should just die, that no one wants me. I believe all he says, it's all true. He's said it ever since I could walk, it's been embedded into my brain. I can't help but believe ever last letter.

As I reach my locker, I see my boyfriend, Gloss, waiting for me. Gloss is a lot like my father; he abuses me as well, but not to the extent of my dad. Gloss will throw in a few slaps and a few kicks here and there, but nothing life threatening or hospital like. The only thing he does that's worse than my father is verbally abuse me. He treats me as if I'm a piece of trash, always breaking me down. But I guess I deserve it in a way, after all I am worthless, right?

Gloss is terrible, but he's the only one who's ever going to want me. So... I stay with him. Because out of everyone, he's the one that's actually wasting his time with me. He's the one with the whore that no one else would even dare talking to.

"Why are you so late?" He snaps, grabbing my arm and pulling me up to him. "And why do you look like shit?"

I flinch, "I'm sorry Gloss, my car broke down so I had to walk the rest of the way. It was two miles, and my hair got caught in a low hanging tree branch, so it got a little tangled." I mumble.

He rolls his eyes, "I don't really care, now come on. We are going to be late, and if I'm late again then I get Saturday school. You wouldn't want that to be your fault, would you?"

I know it's a rhetorical question, so I don't answer. I just look down at my shoes and hear his annoyed sigh before she starts dragging me to class. We have every class together, Gloss made me get my schedule changed when we first started dating.

The day goes by quickly, Gloss only yells at me during lunch and once when I go to the bathroom. He says the usual, that I'm worthless and I'm lucky he's with me at all, that he could do so much better, anyone could.

At the end of the day, he drives me home since my car is still sitting on the side of the road. We even pass it as he takes me to my house, and I see that there are parking tickets covering the cracked windshield.

When we pull into my drive way and I start to get out, Gloss grabs my arm painfully.

"Go get your money, we are going out to dinner and you're paying." He growls, "And hurry back."

I nod and rush inside only to be met with the gagging smell of cigarettes and beer. Of course the smell is wafting off of my drunk father, who is stumbling into the room.

"Where've you been?" Thread, my father, slurs, supporting himself on the staircase.I forgot to mention he's my adopted father.

"School." I answer shortly, trying to get past him and up to my room so that I don't keep Gloss waiting. He doesn't like that.

My dad grabs my arm tightly and forcefully pulls me back down so that I fly off the stairs and land squarely on my back. Sending a jolting pain up my spine, making my body tingle with aches and pains.

He hovers over me and snarls, sending spit on my face. "Don't back talk me girl."

"I-I was only answering your question, sir." I say quickly, hiding my fear as best I can.

Thankfully he stands straight up and stalks away, falling into the wall many times as he does so. I peer around the corner to make sure he isn't coming back with a knife or something, and I see him going straight into the living room. He sits on the couch, another beer in his hand. I don't watch as he chugs it and takes another, instead I run to my room and grab my wallet. I also grab my coat to hide any bruises the two caused on my wrists, they both gripped them pretty tightly.

I run back outside and hop into the running car.

"What the hell took you so long?" He growls, forcing me to look at him.

"M-my father," I say, avoiding his gaze.

He smirks and leans back into his seat, "I should have let you stay longer, given him some more time to finish up what he was starting."

I look down at my lap, not daring to respond. Gloss chuckles darkly and begins to drive to the cafe.

"Weak; you can't even stand up for yourself." He mutters, glaring at the road ahead.

"Why are we going out to eat?" I ask quietly.

He lets out a groan, as if having to answer my simple question was too much work for him. "Because we are, now would you please shut up?"

I do as I'm told and we soon arrive. We get seated in the small place, and Gloss has his arm around my waist so tightly it hurts. as we walk to our table. His hand is pressing into the bruise my dad gave me a few days ago, causing me to bite my lip from the pain. It's all I can do not to groan in agony, the bruise is still somewhat fresh, it hasn't had time to heal properly. He sits across from me, opening his menu.

Our waitress soon comes, and she's drop dead gorgeous. She has long wavy blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and the largest boobs I've ever seen. So naturally Gloss starts to flirt with her, even though I'm sitting not even a foot away.

At least now I know why we came here...

Our waitress, which I learn is named Glimmer, takes our orders while basically shoving her boobs in Gloss' face. She walks off after taking only his order, smirking at me as her high heels click away.

I don't want to get mad, he's done this before. He's not the most loyal boyfriend ever, but he's the best I'll ever find, the _only_ one I'll ever find. I try my best to conceal the anger boiling inside of me, because I know it will just come back to bite me in the ass later if I don't. It always does, whether it's from a beating, or something he forces me to do in bed.

This time, I'm having trouble tucking my anger away though.

"Gloss? Really?" I ask, trying to hide my annoyance.

His eyes gradually leave Glimmer's butt and meet mine, once they do he rolls them. "What?" He asks.

"You were flirting with her, and I'm right here!" I exclaim quietly, I should know better than to get angry. It will only result in a beating later.

"Yeah? So what's the big deal? She's hot, better than you. That's for sure!" He says, leaning back in his seat. His eyes go behind me and I follow his gaze, sure enough it ends back on the blondes butt as she waits on another table.

Gloss bites his lip, and I even think I hear him suppress a groan. I just stare at him, I don't know why I'm acting so surprised. This isn't a first for him, but it still hurts.

"Besides, I bet she's amazing in bed." He says lowly, his eyes already lustful.

"Unbelievable." I mutter, "No. I take that back. Totally believable."

"What did you say? You know I hate it when you mumble, Katniss, or do we need to leave for a little so that I can remind you?" He asks venomously, his eyes blazing.

"I didn't say anything," I whisper, looking at the sticky table.

"Bullshit," He growls.

"It's not, I didn't say anything," I repeat, avoiding his gaze at all costs.

"Don't lie to me, Kat. I'm going to ask you again; What. Did. You. Say?" He asks, and I can tell his attempt to control his own anger is failing.

Last time I mumbled something or lied it resulted in a backhand slap to the face and a knee in the stomach. The time before that, it was straight to the bedroom for his pleasure and my torture...

"It was nothing!" I say louder, instantly regretting it. Gloss' eyes are blazing with a rage I thought only Satan could hold, and I think I'm only adding to the fire.

"I know you're lying to me, so just wait. You're going to regret lying, I'm going to make sure you can barely walk." He growls, not loud enough for anyone to hear but loud enough to scare me into silence. "Since I'm feeling nice today, I'll give you one more change to tell me what you said," he snarls lowly.

"All I said was it believable that you would do that." I say, being sure not to be too rude.

"Do what?" He asks, narrowing his eyes.

"Basically cheat on me." I say, keeping my eyes trained on the table.

He scoffs. "What? Are you jealous or something?"

"Not jealous."

He laughs darkly, "Are you trying to tell me you're mad?"

I nod once, my eyes slowly lifting to meet his brown ones.

"What makes you think you have the right to be mad at me? You haven't the right to even have feelings, you haven't the right to anything." He says slowly, making sure I hear every word, I'm getting worried someone may hear him.

My eyes quickly go back to the table.

"Just be quiet," I say softly. I don't want anyone to hear him.

"Oh, and now you're telling me what to do? What the hell makes you think any of this behavior is okay? Jesus, Katniss, that's two strikes in only fifteen minutes. I have a feeling tonight's going to be fun." I can hear the smirk in his voice.

I clench my jaw to avoid crying, the stinging sensation is pricking at my eyes. Could today get any worse? Why can't I just keep my mouth shut?

Luckily Glimmer comes back and seems to get Gloss back in a good mood as she flirts with him. She hands him his drink, and even hands me my water. I reach for it, and she 'accidentally' spills it all over me, Gloss, and herself.

Getting her _white_ t-shirt soaked.

Gloss' eyes snap to me and he glares, his eyes almost turning red. I think I can even see smoke coming out of his ears he is so pissed at me.

"Can you stop being such a screw-up? You're such a klutz!" He hollers as he stands, getting the attention of everyone in the restaurant. I don't think he cares right now though. I just signed my own death wish.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" I stutter, standing as well. I risk a glance around to see everyone staring at us.

Gloss' nostrils flare as his anger comes out. "I don't know if I can't wait until we get back, I'm real tempted just to slap you here and now." He says quietly, only so that I can hear and not the watching eyes.

I gulp, I feel like he actually would. I've pissed him off pretty badly, even if it wasn't my fault for spilling the drink.

He then turns to Glimmer and gives her a sickly sweet smile, "I'm so sorry baby, let me get that for you." He says, grabbing a napkin. He then proceeds to dab it on her breasts, claiming he's only trying to dry her shirt.

"Can you pass me a napkin as well?" I ask quietly, staring at the floor as I shiver, the cold water freezing my body. It doesn't help that it is only 20 degrees outside and this place's heater isn't the strongest, not to mention the door keeps opening and closing.

He stops what he's doing and rolls his eyes, "You have two arms and two legs, get it yourself. This is your fault anyways."

I don't know why I'm all of the sudden being so bold, and I'm not exactly liking it.

"You're right there! Just get the damn napkin!" I exclaim, immediately covering my mouth after.

Oh no.

Not at good idea. Not a good idea at all.

Gloss' eyes light up in rage and he walks to me. I step back but he grabs my already bruised wrists and cuts off the circulation from his iron grip.

"How many times do I have to warn you, you're getting very out of hand. I may just have to mention this to your father," he threatens. I can tell he's trying his hardest not to slap me right here, right now.

I whimper as he grips my wrists tighter than before, "I'm sorry, don't tell my dad. Please." I have to hold back my tears from how hard he is gripping me.

Why isn't anyone helping me?

Then again, when do they ever?

"Sometimes I question why I stay with you, apparently I love you. I don't know how, you're pathetic." He whispers harshly. "You're worthless."

Now my tears are flowing freely.

"Just let me go," I request in fear. I don't know how far he will go in public, but I know I will pay greatly for this later. After all I just used up my third strike.

"What if I don't, what are you going to do about it?" He asks in anger and amusement.

All of the sudden I feel a strong figure behind me and I hear a deep and angered voice.

"Then I will make you. It was an accident, she said sorry, and all she did was ask you for a napkin. Let her go." The gruff voice demands.

To my utmost surprise, Gloss does release me. I pull my wrists to my chest and begin to lightly massage them, they are already a gross purplish blue color. The mystery man steps in front of me in a protective way, completely shocking me. He's tall, much taller than Gloss. Which may be why he let go of me.

"And who the hell are you?" Gloss snarls.

"Peeta," he replies shortly.

Peeta. I recognize that name from somewhere, and I recognize his voice.

Before Gloss has a chance to respond, Peeta turns around and I look up to meet his eyes. When I do, a gasp escapes my lips.

I'm expecting his eyes to be hard and cold like his voice had been when he was addressing Gloss, but they aren't. They aren't at all... They are a soft blue, and are looking at me softly, the only thing filling them is concern. Not anger like I assumed.

"Are you alright?" He asks, and I'm surprised when his voice is as soft as his eyes. Nothing like how he had spoken to Gloss.

I don't answer, I'm still slightly in a daze. No one has ever defended me when Gloss does these things. Especially no one this attractive.

"She's fine!" Gloss snaps, walking around Peeta to grab my arm.

Peeta's soft and gentle blue eyes immediately turn cold and icy as soon as Gloss touches me. His grip back on my wrists, I have to try my hardest to keep in my groan of pain.

"I asked _her_, not you."

His voice changed back to how it had before too.

"Well I'm answering." Gloss retorts.

"Look, just leave Katniss alone. She hasn't done anything wrong." Peeta says somewhat calmly.

Wait, how does he know my name?

"Yes she did! She spilled water everywhere!" Gloss exclaims, glaring at me.

Peeta narrows his eyes, "It was an accident, and she said she was sorry, didn't she?"

"I guess." Gloss mutters.

"Then let her go." Peeta growls in a menacing tone.

And again, Gloss let's me go, shocking me to no end and bringing back the circulation in my arm. I look down at it and see yet another bruise, this one isn't as bad as my wrists though.

Peeta then walks closer to me. "Katniss, do you want to leave? I can take you home or wherever." He asks me softly.

How does he know my name? And why do I feel like I recognize him?

I nod, and he smiles. I think I just swooned, oh my gosh this boy is attractive. He begins to usher me towards the door by placing his hand on my lower back very gently and not at all how Gloss has done before. Before we exit though, he takes off his leather jacket and gives it to me, most likely noticing me shivering and my chattering teeth.

Gloss hollers after me, "We'll deal with this later." He doesn't come after me, that's a first. But his words scare me, i's never a good thing when he said that.

The amount of relief I feel when we exit the cafe is the most I've ever felt in my life.

Peeta leads me to his car but before we reach it I stop. This guy may be super attractive, and he may have defended me, but he's a stranger nonetheless.

He stops with me and gives me a confused look, then realization seeps into his face.

"Oh, you don't remember me, do you?" He asks, putting his hands in his pockets sheepishly.

"I recognize you a little, I just don't know from where..." I say, "I'm sorry."

He chuckles, "Well we haven't met formally so I guess I can't blame you... I used to go to your school, I graduated last year. Now I'm going to a community college." He says, smiling at me. "I was in your gym."

_That's _where I recognize him from! "Oh! Now I remember you!" I say, a smile forming on my lips for the first time in a few months. I do really remember him, I remember having a crush on him last year before I got with Gloss.

He looks down at his shoes with a shy smile, and then his eyes darken. They turn into a shade close to the color of the night sky as opposed to their previous baby blue. My eyebrows knit together in confusion and I follow his gaze to see that he is looking at my wrists.

"I didn't realize he was gripping you that hard," he says quietly, his jaw clenched.

I lift them up, and his eyes stay trained on them.

"It's not that bad, it's been wors-" I shut myself up before I say anymore.

Peeta's eyes snap to mine.

"I mean it doesn't hurt much," I mutter, looking down.

"Well..." Peeta says quietly, "Let's get some ice on it."

We get in his car, but he doesn't ask me for my address. We end up going to his apartment, which is definitely fine by me. Anything is better than going to my house where my drunk father awaits my arrival, his fist clenched and ready to unleash his fury on me.

When we get to Peeta's apartment, he leads me into the living room. I stay silent as he gets the two ice packs, he walks back and kneels in front of me before setting them gently on my wrists. I wince, causing him to flinch.

"I'm sorry, I'm being as gentle as I can." He says.

"Don't be sorry, you're helping me." I say. "I never did say thank you, did I?" I ask, looking at him.

"You don't need to, I'm only doing what needed to be done. I didn't like seeing him treat you that way." He says, his eyes narrowed as he focuses his attention on trying to get the ice packs to stay.

"But you barely know me."

He pauses for a second, "I know you better than you think." He says softly under his breath, I don't think I was supposed to hear him. So I don't say anything. Then louder he says, "Well, still. I'm sure I'm not the only person who would have helped you."

"Thank you."

He finally manages to get the ice packs to stay and sits next to me. He's quiet for a few moments before he turns to me, all of the sudden serious.

"I'm sorry, but I have to ask; is he your boyfriend?"

I look down at my lap, "Sadly yes."

Peeta cocks a perfect eyebrow, "Sadly?" He echoes.

I shake my head, "Yeah, sadly." I repeat.

"You don't want to be with him?"

I turn my head to look at Peeta, who seems... hopeful?

"What do you think?" I ask him quietly.

His eyes soften and then flick to my wrists. "Why do I get the feeling this isn't the only thing he's done to you?" He asks me sadly and quietly as his eyes look back into mine.

"Because it isn't," I whisper, and his face takes on a solemn look.

I can't believe I just said that.

Gloss is going to kill me! He made me promise never to tell anyone or else.

Peeta must see the panic in my eyes because he takes my hand.

"Kat, don't worry. He can't hurt you here." He reassures.

"Maybe not now, but what happens when I go home? When I see him tomorrow at school? Oh my gosh, I never should have even come here! I should have just taken my punishment as usual." I say, burying my face in my hands. Then realization seeps into me, I did it again.

"Punishment?" Peeta asks, I peek at him through my fingers and see his eyebrows narrowed and knitted together.

"Forget I said anything," I mumble, running my hands through my hair.

He stays quiet for some time, and I slowly calm down. I'm okay for now, if I'm lucky I won't see Gloss tonight and my dad will give me a break.

"I'm not stupid, Katniss. I know what goes on." Peeta says tightly, causing me to snap my eyes to him. He's staring intently at the table in front of us, his eyes unwavering as he looks at the piece of wood. "I'm sure you were wondering how I remembered you, considering we only had gym together, and that's nothing at all. Not to mention the fact it's been a whole year... Well, I know more about you than you think. I watched you last year, you caught my eye. I noticed every little thing you did, and I noticed every little bruise on you."

No... I hid those. I've hidden every one of them.

"I noticed that every time someone came up to you, you would look down at the floor as if you weren't worthy of being in their presence. Whenever you heard yelling it seemed as if you wanted to just shrink away, even if the yelling wasn't towards you. Every time a ball was thrown anywhere around you, you would flinch and close your eyes tight, your jaw clenched so tightly as if you were awaiting a blow... That's when I began to watch you very closely, and I started to see the bruises. Yeah you covered them up along your arms, but I could see the makeup littering them. I could see right through your attempt to conceal the truth. The times you lifted your hands above your head to stretch, your shirt would come up, revealing the dark purple and blue blotches." His voice is tight and hard.

I turn to look at him and see his jaw clenched, his eyes even look a little glassy. His eyes don't waver from his strict gaze.

"I always wanted to talk to you, see what was wrong. Ask how you got injured, although I think I knew why from the beginning. Every day, every day I was so very tempted to walk over to you. But I knew you were dating that Gloss guy... I don't know, I should have gone up to you. I could have been your friend at least, I could have helped. I could have prevented another year of your abuse..." He ends quietly and slowly.

I gulp, my eyes wide.

He knows.

"I could have ended the cruelty you are receiving from your so called boyfriend. I could have ended you two, so that you would be free of him. I would have helped break those chains that hold you to his darkness and anger. I would have been the friend that you needed." His voice is almost at a whisper now, "I don't know about your life at home, but I'm willing to bet my life that the same shit goes on there. I'm bet you get beaten at home as well."

I don't answer him, I'm too shocked to say anything right now. This is a lot to take in. Then Peeta abruptly turns to me, his eyes meeting mine. His are still light, but they are serious and hopeful.

"I didn't help you then, but I'm going to help you now. I saw you in that cafe with him, and my heart skipped a beat. Just because I graduated already doesn't mean I forgot about the special girl in my gym, oh no. I haven't gone a day without thinking about you, like I said before, you're captivating. You've grabbed my attention and haven't let go. When I saw you two quarrel, I knew that was it. No more watching you from afar, watching you take the abuse I had always assumed you endured. No, I've made my decision. I honestly think I made it long ago, I'm going to help you, Katniss, I'm going to get you out of the mess you're in." He concludes strongly.

I'm speechless, the breath has been knocked out of me. He wants to help me? He wants to be my friend?

"Why would you want to help someone like me? Why would you waste your time?" I finally manage I ask.

His eyes soften, and takes my hand gently in his. "Why would I want to help you? Because I find you pretty amazing as a matter of fact, and because I'm attracted to you. It wouldn't be wasting my time, wasting my time would be _not_ helping you."

I'm so confused, _I'm_ amazing? He's attracted to me?

"You... you actually want to help me?"

He smiles softly and takes my hand, "Of course, all I ask is that you let me. That you give me the chance to protect you, to be your friend."

I can't get any words out from pure shock, so I nod.

**Peeta POV**

I wish so badly just to tell her now, tell her how I feel about her. But I know now is not the time, she hasn't healed yet. My journey to save this wonderful soul, this angel, has only just begun, she isn't ready for my feelings. To admit anything to her would only result in scaring her. She's confused, I can tell.

She hasn't been complemented this way before, hasn't been spoken to like an equal. I know only from her reactions and the way Gloss talked to her today. She wouldn't understand anyways, the idea of how I feel is foreign to her. She's only ever experienced hate, but in her mind, hate _is_ love.

She doesn't even know what love is. I can't admit anything to her until I help her find out, until I save her.

**Katniss POV**

That night he didn't take me home, we stayed at his apartment. To prevent overwhelming me, he told me we would talk more about just how he was going to help me in the morning. He gives me his bed and he takes the couch to give me my privacy.

Before he walked down the hall to the living room, he gave me some old sweats and a baggy t-shirt. That night, I slept with no nightmares. It was the only full nights rest I've had in who knows how long.

xxx

It's been only two weeks, and already Peeta convinced me to file a police complain about my parents. That resulted in a two day investigation that soon ended in the both of them going to jail. Since I'm already 18, I have the permission to live where ever. Peeta, being the saint he is, immediately offered for me to stay with him. I humbly agreed, after a lot of convincing on his part that it was more than okay and that he wanted me to stay with him.

Peeta even helped me break up with Gloss. No, he didn't do it for me, but he had asked me if I wanted to stay with Gloss. When I answered with a no, he helped me gain the confidence to break the poisonous relationship off. The day I finally ended it with him is a day I'm always going to remember.

_Gloss came to me at school when Peeta dropped me off, so I had put my training into action. _

_"Alright, there he is. I want you to walk over there, more than likely he will stop you. And do what we have rehearsed, and don't worry, if he even puts a hand on you, I'm right here. I'll be over there busting his jaw in the blink of an eye." Peeta told me as we pulled up. "Are you sure this is what you want to do? I don't want to pressure you into anything, don't do this for me. Do it for you, only if you want." He said seriously. _

_I nodded, "This is something I need and want to do, and I would never have had the courage to do it without you. Thank you." I took a deep breath, "I can do this." _

_He smiled and gave me a hug, "Of course you can." _

_As soon as I exited the car, Gloss was there. Even though Peeta was only a few feet away, I was still petrified. I had the right to, he's made my life a living hell. _

_"W-what do you want." I had asked, trying to sound at least a little confident. _

_He smirked, the same smirk that has woken me up night after night in a cold sweat, tears streaming down my cheeks. _

_"You. I wasn't very happy when you left me at the cafe like that, babe. I mean I love you, which means you have to stay with me." He said cockily and darkly, his eyes narrowed as he took a step closer. _

_I didn't flinch, I was expecting him to. _

_"You don't love me, Gloss. We both know it." I said, if I can get through this without yelling then I will be very grateful. _

_"No, I love you. Which is why you can't go around whoring it up with just any guy you meet. Especially that Peter dude." He said in disgust. _

_"Peeta." I said louder, then quieter. "...His name is Peeta." _

_"I don't give a shit what his name is, because you won't be seeing him anymore. Need I remind you, you're mine?" He snarled, grabbing my arm and making me whimper in pain._

_Behind me I heard the car door burst open, but with my free arm I motioned to Peeta to stay back. This was something I needed to do without him. _

_"No Gloss, I don't belong to you. Whatever we had, is over. I'm done, I'm moving in with Peeta. He's offered me his home, so that I don't have to put up with you and your abuse. Yes, he knows. No, I didn't tell him. He's smart, he figured it out." I said, my body stiffened as I saw the rage build in Gloss' eyes. _

_"We'll be over when I say we're over. Now come on, I don't want to be late. Worthless slut..." He muttered the last part, gripping my arm tighter as he began to drag me towards the school and farther away from Peeta. _

_No._

_"No. I meant what I said. We're done." I said firmly, ripping my arm from his grasp. _

_He whipped to me, surprised I ever spoke back. _

_"That's it, I've been waiting to be able to do this again. My fists have been begging to meet your face once again." He growled, and before I knew it he was lifting his hand and began to swing it down. Hard. _

_I closed my eyes and flinched, waiting for the blow that was bound to happen. But to my surprise it never came. _

_I slowly opened my eyes to see Peeta standing over me, gripping Gloss' wrist as tight as Gloss once held mine. _

_"You heard her. Now leave." He snarls, the angriest I've ever heard him. _

_Gloss eyes Peeta up, and then they embark on a long staring match. Peeta's eyes show anger and venom for Gloss, while Gloss' show fear and uncertainty. _

_Then after forever, Gloss breaks the gaze and looks to the side in anger and defeat._

_"Fine, I was getting tired of her anyways." He muttered, stalking away and onto his next victim. _

_Peeta then turned to me and hugged me, "Are you alright?" He asked._

_I nodded against his chest. "Thank you." _

_Then it hit me, I was free. I wasn't bound to Gloss anymore, he couldn't hurt me any longer. And it was all because of Peeta._

Peeta... Over the last two weeks we have grown closer and he's managed to help me feel a little more confident. He's managed to help me believe a little more that I'm not worthless, and then maybe I'm beautiful. It's going to take a long time for me to be completely confident in myself, but this is definitely a start.

I've sort of regained a crush on him, the feelings I had for him last year have returned. Only this time they have returned much, much stronger. I won't go so far as to say I'm in love with him, because I've only personally known him for around two weeks. I will say though that I feel very strongly of him, and my feelings aren't far from those of love. I have a feeling it's just around the corner.

Right now I'm sitting in my room with Peeta, watching a movie. He bought a new bed just three days after I moved in and we pulled it into the room next to his that was previously vacant.

We are on the bed, under the covers on this blustery day. I didn't have school since it was so cold, 8 degrees and with the wind it's -3. Peeta has his arm around my shoulders to keep me even warmer than the toasty blankets are doing. And I have my head resting on his shoulder, cuddled up to him. We are each still in our pajamas, him wearing long pants and a wife beater, while I sport girl boxers and one of his t-shirts that fits me much too large. And there's a bowl of popcorn on my lap. It couldn't get any better than this.

Our movie ends and the popcorn runs out. I don't move though, and neither does Peeta.

"Kat, are you happy here?" He asks, looking down at me. Only now do I lift my head to look at him.

"Of course, this is 100x better from the way I was living before." I say, smiling at him.

He sighs and looks away, shaking his head. "I mean with me, are you happy here with me?" His eyes wander back to mine, and he looks to be scared and hopeful of my reply.

"Is that even a question? You're like my savior, my angel, of course I love it here! I'm the happiest I've ever been when I'm with you."

He smiles, revealing a set of perfect teeth. "I am too, you bring out my best side and keep the bad away."

I stay quiet, a small blush forming on my cheeks. He chuckles, but all too soon he gets very serious.

"Listen Katniss, I know I said that I wanted to be your friend that night after the whole café incident... And truth is, I don't." He says after a few minutes of silence.

I feel my heart break, I know this was too good to be true. Gloss probably set this whole thing up, it was his idea all along. He wanted me to have a taste of happiness, a taste of freedom before he-

"I want to be much more than friends." Peeta says, snapping me out of my horrific thoughts.

His words result in me snapping my head to him, only to see him smiling gently at me.

"Even though we have only formally known each other for two weeks, I've always wanted to be more than friends with you. I just never had the courage to talk to you, now that I have, you're even more amazing than I ever imagined. The way I feel around you is indescribable, the only word I know how to describe it is love. So yes, I love you. I have since forever, I didn't tell you sooner because I didn't want to overwhelm you. Maybe I still am, but I just couldn't keep my feelings locked in my heart any longer." He says, watching my reaction very closely.

I don't know how to react. My whole life 'love' has meant nothing but beatings and screaming matches. Not once has it meant the kindness Peeta treats me with, the tenderness of his touches or the sincerity in his eyes.

"I'm not expecting you to say anything back, I just needed to tell you. And to ask you something," he says, reaching in his pocket for something. He pulls out a long black box, and uses the arm still around my shoulders to open it. "Kat, will you do me the honors of letting me call you mine?"

I gasp, not only at his words but at the necklace in front of my eyes. It's sapphire, my birthstone, and it's in the shape of a heart. I turn it in my fingers and see in very small print, a small love quote. 'Love will shine through any darkness.'

"Peeta..." I breath, taking the necklace carefully in my hands and looking at him. His kind blue eyes, awaiting my answer. "Yes, yes a million times!" I say, throwing my arms around his neck to hug him.

I can practically hear the smile lighting up his lips as he hugs me back, he buries his face in my neck and breathes in my scent. I admit I do the same. We pull apart and he takes the necklace. Without words I turn my head and pull up my hair for him to place it on me.

"Peeta, it's gorgeous. How much did this cost you?" I ask, holding the stone in my fingers.

"You don't need to worry about that, I'm just glad you like it." He says, relief evident in his voice.

"I don't like it though, I love it." I say, grinning from ear to ear as I turn back around to look at him.

"And I love you," he whispers, his eyes trained on my lips. He begins to lean in, and so do I. Our lips meet and bombs go off, the kiss has an indescribable amount of love, passion, tenderness, and happiness. It's like nothing I've ever felt before, certainly not what I could have felt with Gloss. My hands play with the hairs on the base of his neck, and his go around my waist.

When we pull apart a smile sticks to our swollen lips.

"I'll treat you right, Katniss, I'll treat you like a queen, I'll give you all the love you deserve." He whispers, pecking my lips again.

I smile softly and play with his short blonde hair, "I don't doubt that, but all I really need is you. You're more than enough."

Instead of responding, I find his lips reattaching to my own. Once we pull apart I snuggle back up to his side as the blustery day outside continues, but in the arms of Peeta I couldn't be warmer. Whether that's from his body against mine or the contentment of being with him, I don't know.

All I know is this is the happiest I've ever been, and Peeta is the reason.

* * *

><p><strong>Aww, yay for Everlark! <strong>

**Review your thoughts and don't forget to like and favorite.**


	7. Grand Tour

_**This is based off the song by George Jones, redone by Aaron Neville; **_

_**'The Grand Tour'**_

Catoniss

* * *

><p><em>"Step right up. <em>

_Come on in. _

_If you'd like to take_

_The grand tour,_

_Of the lonely house that once was_

_Home sweet home."_

I trudged my way back into our house, making my way painfully up the steps and into the memory filled home.

I just came from the funeral, my suit is a mess, my hair is no better, and I still have tears streaming down my face. They have been ever since the tragic accident. She was only twenty five, she still had her whole life ahead of her. Still had _our_ whole life together ahead of her...

_"I have nothing here to sell you, _

_Just some things that I will tell you._

_Some things I know will chill you,_

_To the bone." _

We were married for two years, but we had been together since our senior year of high school. It would have been eight years today... We were 'that' couple, we never left each others side. I looked out for her and she for me. Everyone says we were madly in love, and I can confirm that. We were in love and nothing will ever change that. I won't ever love another the way I love her, I won't ever love another period.

_"Over there,_

_Sits the chair._

_Where she'd bring the paper to me._

_Sit down on my knee and whisper_

_'Oh I love you' _

_But now she's gone forever, _

_And this old house will never,_

_Be the same without the love that we once knew." _

My watery eyes wander around the living room. Memories flood my mind; all the kisses we shared on that very chair... All the "I love you's" and tender touches.

Never again.

My tears increase by a grave amount as they drip off my chin and land on the wooden floor with a soft 'plop'. Sobs rack my body and echo through the all too empty house. The last time I was this broken she was here to tell me it would all be okay. Now... now she isn't.

_"Straight ahead_

_That's the bed._

_Where we'd lie and love together. _

_Lord knows we had a good thing_

_Going here." _

My feet carry me to our room and to our bed. I gently touch the cool frame and stare at the sheets that we once cuddled into. The very mattress that heard our late night conversations, all our loving words, all our passionate kisses.

_"See her picture on the table_

_Don't it look like she'd be able_

_Just to touch me, _

_And say; _

_Good morning dear." _

I walk towards our dresser that is still filled with her belongings, my shoes click against the floor and make the only noise heard. I gently lift the picture of us on our wedding day. Her eyes are lit up and her lips are curved upwards in a giant, gorgeous smile. She shined with a beauty so bright that she was blinding that day. She always was; she was the most beautiful girl in all of the world and I the luckiest man alive to have won her over.

But now she's gone.

_"There's her ring._

_All her things._

_And her clothes are in the closet._

_Where she left them_

_When she tore my,_

_World apart."_

Her wedding ring rests on her left hand in her grave, but her engagement ring sits here on our dresser. I shake my head and find myself in front of our closet. My hands reach out and play with the fabric of her clothes.

They still smell just like her; like the woods on a sunny afternoon mixed with ever flower in our meadow. My heart breaks even more as my eyes land on all of my shirts she stole and claimed as her own. No more would I get to see her wear my shirt that came down to only her thighs. No more would I get to go to town with her wearing one of my sweatshirts.

It was so sudden, no one knew she was going to leave our world when she did. One moment we were laughing in love, the next I was crying in pain.

_"As you leave you'll see the nursery _

_Oh she left me without mercy._

_Taking nothing _

_but our baby and my heart." _

I tear my gaze from the closet and walk down the hall, straight into the nursery. We made it the day after we found out she was pregnant. We pained the walls blue, and while doing so had a paint war. We assembled the crib together and had a small fight. I was too stubborn to use the directions, and she was too smart not to use them.

Then we made up by making love right there on the floor.

My tears flow ever stronger now, hitting the floor like a violent rain storm. Heart wrenching sobs escape my mouth and I cover my face with my shaking hands.

I can't even raise our child now, for she died with my beautiful Katniss. I never even got to hold her, never got to see her, never got to find out if she got my boring blue or her mother's electrifying gray eyes.

And I never will.

I fall to the floor, the ache in my heart unbearable. My head hurts from all of my crying, my nose running from my tears, and my throat sore from my endless sobs.

She's gone. My beautiful, loving, caring, gentle, funny, perfect Katniss is gone.

_"Step right up._

_Come on in._

_Come on in."_

* * *

><p><strong><em>I'm sorry this was so sad... But I really wanted to right a small story off of this song!<em>**

**_Let me know what you thought! _**


	8. Karvel 2

**This is also based off of a song; 'Mine' by Taylor Swift**

**Karvel**

* * *

><p>I flip through my phone, looking through the endless pictures of Marvel and I. I'm currently lying on my husband, Marvel's, chiseled chest, his arms around me as he combs through my hair with his favorite show playing. So as of now I'm looking at our pictures together, they date back to two years ago when we first met.<p>

_"You where in college working part time waiting tables. _

_Left your small town never looked back. _

_I was a flight risk,_

_With a fear of falling. _

_Wondering why we both with love if it never lasts." _

This one in particular is simply of him, I had texted Madge, my best friend, that I saw the cutest waiter ever. She had demanded I send a picture and I never deleted it.

That was the day I fell in love, I didn't know it at the time but only months later I would come to realize I was madly in love. One look into his green eyes and I was a goner, it's the same story for him.

But even so, I saw love as pointless. I wasn't aware of my feelings towards him, being the naive girl I was. All my dreams of falling in love ended the day my father left us, leaving my mother in a dead shell. If love would only do... _that_ to you, then what was the point?

I chuckle to myself, how wrong was I? Love... it's the best thing that ever could have been put into our world.

Marvel's hand engulfs mine as he looks at my phone and I can picture him smiling. "The day we met." He notes.

I nod, "My favorite day ever."

"Even on top of our wedding?" He asks playfully, kissing my head.

I giggle, "No day can top that."

"_I say 'can you believe it?'_

_As we're lying on the couch,_

_This moment I can see it now. _

_Yes, yes I can see it now." _

This moment right here is one we share every night. Not a day goes by we don't lay down together and just enjoy one another company. These are the moments I will always cherish, and it makes me think back to one of our many memories together.

_"Do you remember we were sitting there by the water? _

_You put your arm around me _

_For the first time. _

_You made a rebel of a careless mans careful daughter. _

_You are the best thing,_

_That's ever been mine." _

"What'cha thinking about, love?" He asks.

I shake my head and crane my neck to meet his baby blue eyes.

"The first date you took me on, it was to your lake house." I say, looking down at his lips and then back at his eyes.

He chuckles and it rumbles through his muscles chest, making my body that lay atop his shake slightly. "I remember that. That was the night I took you out on my boat and we-"

"Spent the night out on the water." I finish for him, nuzzling my head back under his neck.

He slowly rubs my back and moves his head so that his cheek rests on my head. "And your parents were pissed at me the next day."

I laugh, "I couldn't have cared less. That was the most fun I ever had, and it only blossomed into something perfect."

"I'm glad I had the balls to even ask you out, I was always flustered around you." He says with a chuckle. "You were just too... Intimidating because you were so beautiful, you still are the most beautiful girl I have ever met."

I blush and bury my head in his neck, my cold nose pressing against his skin.

_"Flash forward and we're taking on the world together._

_And there's a drawer of my things at your place. _

_You learned my secrets and you figured out why I'm bothered._

_You say we'll never make our parents mistakes." _

I play with the collar of his dress shirt, he never changed when he got home from work, and I begin to think of the night I admitted so much to him. All about my past, how my father left us and my mother became distant. He had seemed shocked, and comforted me the entire night. He reassured me that he would never leave me, yet I still sobbed into his chest.

I had fallen asleep while crying in his arms on the couch. The very couch we lay on now. The next morning I woke up cuddled into his side with toasty blankets covering our bodies, not a tear to be found on my face. And it was because of him.

"_But we've got bills to pay. _

_We've got nothing figured out. _

_When it was hard to take _

_Yeah, yeah. _

_This is what I thought about- _

_Do you remember we were sitting there by the water. _

_You put your arm around me for the first time. _

_You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter. _

_You are the best thing, _

_That's ever been mine." _

For those first few months we lived together it was hard, I was still in school and we each only worked but so many hours a week. Times were tough, but we got through it together. We always do.

"_Do you remember all the city lights on the water. _

_You saw me start to believe for the first time. _

_You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter. _

_You are the best thing that's ever been mine." _

"That was the first night we kissed as well, the first night you let your walls down. You didn't say anything necessarily, but it was your eyes. They weren't a hard cover, instead they were a pool of different emotions and I couldn't wait to figure out." Marvel says, his lips resting on my head.

I smile, "I remember. You also fell in the water."

He snorts, "That was so your fault."

"How?!" I exclaim, lifting my head to loo at his eyes that were shining with amusement.

"You stood up in the boat, I had to make sure _you_ didn't fall in!" He says, laughing at my defensive expression. "I was simply being a gentleman."

I snort and shake my head, "You are such a dork."

He grins cheekily. "But I'm your dork."

I nod and kiss his nose. "True."

"And you're my princess."

_"And I remember that fight _

_2:30 AM _

_Cause' everything was slipping right out of our hands. _

_I ran out crying and you followed me out _

_Into the streets." _

We had been dating for five months by then, and one day it all became too much for the both of us. I was afraid that I was getting too close to him, I was terrified of my feelings and he was over my hiding my emotions. We blew up at each other.

_"Braced myself for goodbye_

_Cuz that's all I've ever known._

_And you took my by surprise_

_You said "I'll never leave you alone."_

_You said 'I remember how we felt sitting by the water,_

_and every time I look at you it's like the first time._

_I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter_

_She is the best thing_

_That's ever been mine!"_

Instead of fully breaking my heart that night, he healed it right back up. We had a passionate embrace, we must have held each other for hours and hours on end. I didn't want to let him go, and I know he didn't want to let me go either.

We ended up inside our house, and that was the exact night I gave myself to him... We had made love for the first time, and I can honestly say that was one of the best nights of my life.

_"You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter,_

_You are the best thing that's ever been mine!_

_Yeah yeah, do you believe it? _

_We're gonna make it now. _

_And I can see it, _

_Yeah yeah, _

_I can see it now,_

_See it now,_

_See it now. _

"I love you." He whispers.

I smile and lean my head up to kiss him. His arms pull me inhumanly closer and he smiles as I reply.

"I love you too."

* * *

><p><strong>Don't forget to follow, favorite, and leave a review!<strong>


End file.
